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LIFE OF GOULD, 



THE 



AN 



EX-MAN-OF-WAR'S-MAN 



■WITH 



INCIDENTS ON SEA AND SHORE, 



INCLUDING THE THEEE-YEAR S CEUISE OF THE LINE OF BATTLE 

SHIP OHIO, ON THE MEDITEERANEAN STATION, 

UNDEE THE VETEEAN 



H,'^ 



COMMODORE HULL, 
/ 



V 



CLi^REMONT, N. H.: 

PRINTED BY THE CLAEEMONT MANUFACTURING CO. 

18 6 7, 






the year 1867, 



Entered acceding to Act of Cong.«.,^i^ 
BV EOLAND F GOUI.D, 
, ..e CfU. omceon.eBi.rictCou«o_f-w n.n>ps.te. 



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PKEFACE 



The narrative hereby presented to the public, is offered 
with little pretension to literary merit, but as a simple 
record of personal observation and adventure ; and trust- 
ing to the benevolence and sympathy of his fellow-men, 
and at the earnest solicitation of his friends, the writer has 
decided on its publication ; encouraged also by the hope 
that it may contribute to relieve him from the pecuniary 
embarrassment under which he now labors, in consequence 
of being deprived of his sight, a misfortune in which all 
may sympathize — and which none can fully realize, but 
those who have experienced the same calamity. 

One thing the author feels confident of, that the perusal 
of his work cannot in the least degree injure the mind or 
morals of the reader, as it is no tale of fiction, and nothing 
more or less than plain facts, which are well known to a 
large circle of friends and acquaintances. 



This may certify that I am personally acquainted with 
Roland F. Gould, and am particularly acquainted with that 
portion of his work relative to the cruise of the Ohio, hav- 
ing been attached to the same ship with him. I would 
commend him to the public, as one worthy of their confi- 
dence and sympathy. 

CHARLES C. HOUGHTON, 

Preacher in the M. E. Church. 
Winchester, N. H., June 20th, 1851. 



We the undersigned, have read " The Life of Roland F. 
Gould, an Ex-man-of-war's-man," in the manuscript, and 
hereby certify that we have been much interested therein, 
and consider it a more than usually interesting and instruct- 
ive narrative of sea-faring life and life on shore — and we 
cheerfully recommend Mr. Gould and his book to public 

patronage. 

E. M. FORBES, Attorney. 
W. H. GUERNSEY, P. M. 
IRA W. RUSSELL, Dentist. 
H. PEIRCE, M. D. 
GEORGE W. PEIRCE, M. D. 
Winchester, N. H., July 2d, 1867. 



CONTENTS. 



CHAPTER I. 
Birthplace. — Early Adventures 13 

CHAPTER II. 
Visits to the country. — Return to the City. — Destruction of 
a Convent. 21 

CHAPTERS III & IV. • 

First Cruise at Sea 31 

CHAPTER V. 
Apprenticeship. — Visit to New York. . . .41 

CHAPTER VI. 
Enters the Navy.-r-The Ohio. — Commodore Hull. — Officers 
attached to the Ohio. — Ship's Crew. . . .45 

CHAPTER VII. 
Passage to New York. — Death of Ezra Carter. — Passage 
across the Atlantic. — Fatal Accident. . . .53 

CHAPTER VIII. 
Gibraltar. — Africa. — Mahon, 59 

» . CHAPTER IX. 

The American Consul. — Death of Edmund Burke. — Anni- 
versary of Washington's Birthday. — Death of Henry 
Brown. — The Cvane. — Rumors of War. . . .71 



X COXTEITTS. 

CHAPTER X. 

Court Martial. — Passage from Mahon to Lisbon. — The City 
and its Harbor. — Passage to Marseilles. . . .77 

CHAPTER XL 
The City of Marseilles and its Harbor. — Passage to Leg- 
horn. — The City and its Harbor. — Visit from the Grand 
Duchess. — Passage to Naples. — Mount Vesuvius. — Hor- 
culaneum. — Pompeii. — The Bay and City of Naples. — 
Malta. — Passage to Athens 85 

CHAPTER XII. 
The City of Athens. — Reception of the King and Queen of 
Greece. — Vocirla. — General Quarters. — Accident. — Pas- 
sage to Mahon. — Quarantine. . . . . .93 

CHAPTER XIII. 
Passage to Maderia. — Heavy Storm. — Canary Islands. — 
Peak of Teneriffe.— Santa Cruz.— The brig True Friends.— 
Scene of Punishment. — Storms. — Brandywino Frigate. 103 

CHAPTER XIV. 
Death of Commodore Paterson. — Incidents in Mahon. — 
Theater on Board the Ohio. — Bill of Fare.— Fatal Acci- 
dent. — Captain Smith. — First Lieutenant. . . 109 

CHAPTER XV. 

Sailing of the Captain and three Lieutenants for the United 
States. — Corsica. — Elba. — Spezia and its Harbor. — Sum- 
mer residence of the Governor. — Gould discovers an old 
Shopmate in the garb of a Priest. — Ball on the Sabbath.— 
Visit to Genoa. — Visit from the Governor. . .119 



CONTENTS. XI 

CHAPTER XVI. 

Statue of Columbus. — Incidents on the Passage from Genoa 
to T^oulon.— The French Fleet.— City of Toulon.— Theater 
and Ball on board the Ohio. — Palermo. — Visit to Espesia, 

— Return to Mahon. 127 

CHAPTER XVII. 

Court Martial. — Arrival of the Rambler. — Arrival of Cap- 
tain Lavallette. — Death of Commodore Chauncey. — Inci- 
dents on the Passage to Trieste. — Arrival at Trieste.— 
Visit from the Governor. The Barque Leopard. — Ball on 

board the Ohio 135 

CHAPTER XVIII. 

Trieste and its Harbor. — Race with the Leopard. — The Isl- 
and of Patmos. — Arrival at Smyrna. — Visit from the 
Bashaw. — Complaints of the Leopard's Crew. — Arrival of 
the Turkish Steam Frigate 143 

CHAPTER XIX. 
The City of Smyrna. — Caravans. — Visit to the Ruins of the 
Ancient Church. — Return to Mahon. — Quarrel between 
two Midshipmen. — Return of the First Lieutenant. 153 

CHAPTER XX. 
Court Martial. — Arrival of the Sloop of "War Preble. — In- 
cidents in Mahon. — Rumor of War. — Sailing of the 
Squadron. — Commodore Hull's Address to the Crew. — 
False Alarms. . ' 159 

CHAPTER XXI. 
Desertion of the Brandywine from the Squadron. — Mutin- 
ous and Discontented Feelings of the Crew. — Another 
False Alarm. — Arrival at Toulon. — Remarks on the 
Service 167 



CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER XXII. 
The French Squadron. — Anniversary of the Birth of Louis 
Philippe. — Boat Race. — Abuses of Seamen. . . 175 

CHAPTER XXIII. 
Death of President Harrison. — Return to Mahon. — Remarks 
on attending Divine Service. — Called to Quarters at Mid- 
night. — A Scene on board the Ohio. — A Drunken Mid- 
shipman, with remarks on the same. . . . 185 

CHAPTER XXIV. 
Homeward Bound. — Remarks on the Death of Richard 
Burke. — Arrival at Gibraltar. — Crossing the Atlantic. — 
A Whaling Scene. — Fishing on the Grand Banks. — En- 
trance into Massachusetts Bay.— Arrival at the President's 
Roads. — Leaves the Ship. 193 

CHAPTER XXV. 
Visit to friends in Charlestown. — A Procession. — Waits on 
the Commodore. — An Encounter and the Rescue. . 203 

CHAPTER XXVI. 
Visits to Lowell and Winchester. — Marriage. — Settles in 
Winchester. — Visit to Worcester. — Terrible Accident. — 
Conversion. — The Elopement. — Divorce.— Second Mar- 
riage. — His Residence 211 

CHAPTER XXVII. 
Containing the After-Record of the most Prominent Officers 
who were connected with the Ohio in her three-years 
cruise on the Mediterranean Station. . . . 227 



LIFE OF GOULD. 



I was born in the beautiful town of Oharles- 
town, which is situated at the head of Massa- 
chusetts Bay, in the State of Massachusetts, 
and separated from Boston by Charles Eiver. 
It has been remarked by more than one writer, 
whose acquaintance with human nature was un- 
disputed, that the formation of character is 
much owing to the kind of scenery by which we 
are surrounded in our early days ; and every day 
observation tends to establish the truth of this 
remark. But however this may be, and doubt- 
less it is the case, there is something still more 
omnipotent in the early formation of character 
than this, and that is the sports of child- 
hood, and the companions who participate in 
them. 



14 LIFE OF AN 

The future sailor drew his first breath at the 
foot of Bunker Hill,^ear the navy yard ; and 
the contiguity of his home to the sea afforded 
means of constant enterprise and peril, and was 
a continued temptation to acts of daring and 
hazardous experiment, which bred a familiarity 
with danger, which has proved a bane to the 
happiness of many a father and mother. It is 
no uncommon thing to see boys, whom we should 
think scarcely able to manage a boat, in pleas- 
ant weather scouring the coast for many miles 
around in the most boisterous seasons, and with 
as much apparent unconcern as we should feel 
sitting by our own fireside ; not that accidents 
have not happened by which many have found a 
watery grave, but they never operated to intim- 
idate the survivors. 

I was bom on the 10th of March, 1817, and 
was the son of Joseph Gould, of Charlestown, 
an honest and respectable man, who died April 
17th, 1823. At this time I was left to the en- 
tire care of a pious and worthy mother. At the 
age of seven, while playing on a wharf near 



EX-MAN- OF- WAR'S-M AN. 15 

Charlestown old bridge, I caitie very near losing 
my life by drowning. I was playing with a small 
ship which I had carved out from a block of 
wood, and rigged with some spars and sails, and 
was so intent upon sailing it that I lost my bal- 
ance and fell into the sea. A man by the name 
of Osgood saw me fall, and arrived in time to 
rescue me as I was sinking the third time. At 
the age of eight, while I was attending the town 
school in Charlestown, I was severely flogged by 
the writing-master, — the said master having 
given out that he would severely punish any boy 
who got a blot on his writing-book. As I was 
sitting at my desk writmg, a boy who sat in the 
desk before me, turned around and snapped a 
pen full of ink on to my writing book. I was 
so indignant that, under the impulse of the mo- 
ment, I got up and knocked the boy out of his 
seat. The master called me out upon the floor, 
and told me that he had heard that I had sev- 
eral times said he could liot make me cry, but he 
would now try. He gave me twenty-fou^ lash- 
es with a green-hide or cow-hide, but did not 



16 LIFE OF AN 

start a tear. I went directly to my seat, took 
my hat and books and started for the door. The 
master told me to come back, but the reply I 
made was, that I would pay him in his own coin 
if It was twenty years after, which threat I ac- 
tually carried out ten years after. My back was 
so lacerated from my hips to my shoulders that 
I was unable to lay on my back or sides for more 
than three weeks. About this time, or shortly 
after this, my mother moved to Boston, and at 
the time of the great fire in Beacon street my 
mother was so afraid I should go that' she took 
my shoes and stockings away from me, but this 
could not stop me ; I 'arrived at the fire and 
rushed into one of the burning buildings to save 
some small articles, and was rescued by an older 
brother who belonged to one of the fire com- 
panies, just in time to escape the falling build- 
ings. This being 'the year in which Lafayette 
visited Boston I was determined to see him, but 
the houses in the vicinity of the street through 
whiclFhe was to pass were so crowded that I 
could get no other chance than to go up through 



ex-man-of-war's-man. 17 

the scuttle of the house, and sit on the ridge- 
pole, near the chimney, by which means I got a 
fair view of Lafayette, as he passed down Milk 
Street. While my mother resided in Water 
Street I went to the Fort Hill school. In the 
iCear 1826 my mother removed to North Federal 
Court, a court leading from Hanover Street. 
While residing there I attended the Hancock 
school. There were three or four boys of about 
the same age residing in the same court. I with 
three of the boys one day went down to the whd,rf 
which is near the steamboat pier, went on board 
a schooner, borrowed a boat, and went across to 
Williams Island, now East Boston. We went 
upon the Island and were gone two or three 
hours. Whilst we were absent a man came over 
from Boston and took the boat, as we had bor- 
rowed it for only half an hour, and thus left us 
on the island. We went up to the house, there 
being only one on the island at the time, and 
told the man who lived there the circumstances 
of our being left. He told us that we must stay 
till morning, and thou he would carry us over ; 



18 LIFE OF AN 

but thinking the man might consider that we 
had trespassed, and devise some way of punish- 
ment, I concluded that I would try some way 
of escape. I went up to the north end of the 
island and hailed one of the Chelsea ferry boats, 
which came and took me off and carried me 
back to Boston. I went and told the parents of 
the other boys the circumstances, so that they 
need not be concerned about them. In 1827 I 
came very near losing my life again. I was 
playing on the water in South Cove, near South 
Boston bridge, in company with a large New- 
foundland dog. I being on a single plank, lost 
my balance and fell into the water, and being 
unable to swim at the time^ came very near 
drowning, but the dog rescued me from a watery 
grave. 

At the age of twelve years, returning home 
from Charlestown, in crossing Charlestown old 
bridge, I discovered something floating on the 
water, and immediately obtained a boat which 
had but one oar, and started to ascertain what 
it was. It proved to be the body of a girl, about 



ex-man-of-war's-man. 19 

twelve years of age, who some days previously 
had been drowned while sailing on a pleasure ex- 
cursion in company with her parents. Being 
unable to lift the body from the water, or retain 
it and manage my boat at the same time, as the 
tide was setting out very fast, I resolutely main- 
tained my hold upon the lifeless remains of the 
poor girl, and left myself and boat to the mercy 
of the waves. I was carried in this situation 
nearly two miles, when I fortunately fell in with 
some sailors, who had just put off in a boat frona 
a schooner, which happened at that moment to 
be entering the harbor. 



OHZ^X^TEK. II. 

In the year 1829, my mother thought it ad- 
visable to send me into the country with a gen- 
tleman who was paying attention to my sister. 
I^ thinking it only for a visit, liked the plan 
well, and accordingly visited Winchester, N. H., 
in company with the said gentleman, it being 
his place of nativity ; but I found it rather a 
long visit, as the gentleman returned to Boston 
leaving me at his fathers, where I remained a 
year. While I was there I enjoyed myself quite 
well in attending parties, apple-parings, &c., 
which were quite fashionable in that part of the 
country at that time. In the year 1830 I 
returned to Boston. Immediately after my re- 
turn I went to Roxbury and commenced driving 
a milk-cart from that place to the city. After 
remaining there a short time I left, the work be- 
ing too hard for me, and went to work in Bright- 
on for my brother-in-law, tending ten-pin-alleys 



22 LIFE OF AN 

at the Cattle Fair Hotel ; but 'I remained at 
Brighton only a short time. At the expiration 
of some three or four weeks I returned to Boston 
to visit my mother, in company with Capt. Eice, 
a driver from Conway, Mass. In the course of 
the ride Capt. Kice told me that he knew of a 
man in Conway who wanted just such a boy as 
I was, and asked me if I would not like to go. 
He told me I could hear from home once a fort- 
night, and if I was discontented I could return 
at any time. Having obtained my mother's con- 
sent, I returned with Capt. Rice to Conway, 
and went to live in the family of Mr. Broaderic. 
But I did not remain there long, owing to the 
loneliness of the situation — it being off from the 
main road, and half a mile from any other dwell- 
ing. My leaving there was not on account of 
any dislike to the family, as they were very wor- 
thy and pious people. 

I then went to reside with Mr. Thwing, with 
whom I remained till 1832. I was very pleas- 
antly situated and probably would have remain- 
ed there had not my mother sent for me to re- 



ex-man-of-war' S-MAN. 23 

turn to Boston to learn a trade. Those were 
among the happiest days of my life, a great 
many pleasant recollections clustered around my 
stay in Conway ; and never, while surrounded by 
perils and dangers, could those recollections be 
obliterated from my memory. On my return to 
Boston I went to work for Mr. Kobert Burr, No. 
3 Hanover Street, saddler and trunk manufac- 
turer. But I did not like the business and 
accordingly left and went to learn the carpenter's 
trade of an older brother in Charles town. My 
brother and his partner were at that time en- 
gaged in building the Winthrop meeting-house, 
and female seminary; but I was shortly thrown 
out of employment by the failure of my brother, 
caused by the rascality of his partner. 

When I was in my sixteenth year, I was pres- 
ent at the destruction of the nunnery on Mount 
Benedict, in August, 1832, which place it will be 
remembered was the scene of considerable ex- 
citement at that time in connection with Miss 
Reed and Miss Harrison. Miss Reed I had been 
formerly acquainted with while she was attend- 



24 LIFE OF AN 

ing the female seminary in Charlestown. While 
she was at this place, she was prevailed upon by- 
some of her friends to leave this institution and 
enter the school attached to the nunnery. Whilst 
attending the school at the nunnery she one day 
requested permission of the Lady Superior, to see 
the ceremony performed of taking the veil; the 
Lady Superior told her that if she would herself 
act the part of the nun and repeat the rites and 
ceremonies appertaining to the same, she would 
show her there and then. Miss Keed being per- 
fectly innocent and having no suspicion that by 
doing this she would be considered a nun, went 
through with the ceremony; after which the 
Lady Superior told her that she had taken the 
veil and could no more have intercourse with the 
wQrld outside of the nunnery. Her mother, 
brother and friends several times afterwards call- 
ed, but were denied an interview, as the Lady 
Superior told them that she had taken the vows 
upon her, and wished to have no more inter- 
course with the world. Shortly after this the 
City Guards, an independent company from Bos- 



ex-man-of-war's-man. 25 

ton with the Boston Brass Band attached, while 
passing the nunnery attracted the attention of 
the inmates; they all, with the exception of 
Miss Reed, went to the front side of the nun- 
nery to see the procession as it passed. Miss 
Reed discovering that the gardener had left the 
key of the garden gate in the lock, unlocked it 
and fled across the fields down to the toll-house 
on the Medford turnpike, kept at that time by a 
Mr. Kidder, and claimed his protection. Mr. 
Kidder having some four or five men at work for 
him, called them in and armed them. By this 
time the people at the nunnery had discovered 
Miss Reed's escape and immediately rung the 
alarm bell, at the same time placing a blood- 
hound upon her track, which traced her to the 
before mentioned retreat. The Lady Superior 
and some others, with threats and persuasions 
tried to induce her to return to the nunnery with 
them, but all their threats and persuasions 
proved unavailing. Mr. Kidder having taken 
her under his protection, sent immediately for 
the selectmen of the town of Charlestown, who 



26 LIFE OF AN 

delivered her up to her friends and relatives. 
Whilst she was confined in the nunnery she 
learned that there was a Miss Harrison confin- 
ed there in the same manner that she had been, 
against her will and wishes. This so exasperated 
the people of Charlestown, Boston and vicinity, 
that they determined on some mode of revenge. 
I will give a description of the destruction of 
the convent, as witnessed by myself. About nine 
o'clock in the evening of the third of August 
there were collected together about two hundred 
men at the foot of the avenue leading to the 
nunnery; after holding a counsel of a few min- 
utes duration they entered the avenue and pro- 
ceeded to the front door of the nunnery and 
demanded an interview with Miss Harrison, who, 
they understood, was detained there against her 
will. The reply of the Lady Superior was, that 
she could not and should not be seen. The 
question was asked, how many armed men there 
wei;e in the house ? the Lady Superior replied 
that she had other protection than that of man — • 
she had the protection of God. One of the men 



ex-man-of-war's-man. 27 

then present told her that she ought to be 
ashamed of herself to mention the name of God 
in such a house of prostitution. The interview 
was then brought to an end by the Lady Supe- 
rior, who immediately closed and barred the door. 
The men then retired some few rods from the 
nunnery to consult upon what measures it would 
be best to adopt, and while they were thus con- 
sulting, several pistols were discharged from the 
garden, which was separated from the avenue by 
a high fence. They supposed these shots were 
fired by some of the people belonging to the 
nunnery, which so exasperated them that they 
immediately ceased their consultation and com- 
menced breaking down the fence which separated 
the garden from the avenue; and afterwards they 
carried it about twenty rods and piled it up 
directly in front of the nunnery. By this time as 
many as five hundred men had collected, and 
about half past nine o'clock the above fence, to- 
gether with some three or four tar barrels were 
set on fire. The alarm of fire was then given by 
the ringing of the bells in Boston, Charlestown, 



28 LIFE OF AN 

Cambridge, and all the adjoining towns. At 
tliis time most of tlie men present were disguised 
as brickmakers. At fifteen minutes before ten 
the inhabitants of the nunnery were notified 
that they could have fifteen minutes during 
which they could leave the premises in safety^ 
x\t the expiration of that time about ten thous- 
and people had collected there; and at precisely 
ten o'clock the nunnery was entered by the riot- 
ers, who proceeded to collect all the books, light 
apparel, &c., and set fire to them, and in fifteen 
minutes from the time the rioters entered the 
nunnery the flames were bursting from every 
window in the building. As fast as the engines 
arrived at the scene of action the firemen took 
from their caps their badges, and left their en- 
gines in the road, and mingled with the mob. 
The selectmen, with a large posse of police, 
took some of the engines and attempted to play 
upon the fire, but were immediately driven back 
by the rioters. While the building was burning, 
the firemen, numbering from one to two thous- 
and, seated themselves under some beautiful 



ex-man-of-war's-man. 29 

trees that were directly in front of the nunnery, 
and sung " Old Hundred." 

At twelve o'clock the Bishop's study was set 
on fire, and at this time it was estimated that 
there were about 100,000 people on the ground. 
At 4 o'clock the farm-house and out-buildings 
were fired, which completed the work of de- 
struction. I will here state that previous to the 
destruction of the nunnery, the inmates consist- 
ed of the Lady Superior, six Sisters of Charity, 
ten or twelve nuns, and sixty or seventy young 
ladies from different parts of the country who 
were placed there for the purpose, it was said, of 
completing their education. It may be well to 
add that not one female belonging to the nun- 
nery was abused or insulted in the least, but on 
the contrary the rioters did all in their power to 
place them beyond the reach of harm or danger. 



OH^IPTEE. XII- 

While I was in Charlestown I formed an ac- 
quaintance with several girls who worked in a 
straw factory. As I was escorting one of them 
home to her mother's one evening, she informed 
me that she had been grossly insulted the eve- 
ning previous by a young counter-jumper as she 
was returning home alone from the factory. 
After I had left her at her mother's and was re- 
turning, I met the person who had insulted the 
lady the evening before and requested an interview 
the next evening at eight o'clock, at the corner of 
Main and Back Streets, which was accordingly 
granted. I was fifteen years of age, and my 
opponent eighteen. I met him and struck him 
with a cowhide, upon which my opponent drew 
a dirk, but I wrenched it from his hand and put 
it in my bosom, and before I left him gave him 
a thorough cowhiding in the presence of five or 
six of his brother store-sweeps. I then told him 



32 LIFE OF AN 

why I had done it. As the young man's father 
was wealthy and influential, I heard there was 
quite a stir being made about the matter, there- 
fore I thought it best to leave for awhile, and ac- 
cordingly shipped on board a top-sail schooner 
called the Only Son, belonging to Mitchell, of 
Charlestown, and commanded by Capt. Pressey. 
The schooner carried about one hundred and 
fifty tons and was rather rakish built, after the 
Baltimore Clipper fashion. She carried a 
foresail, mainsail, foretop-sail, foretop-gallant- 
sail, gaff, jib and flying-jib. She sailed the 
next day, passed through the harbor, had a 
pretty smooth passage, nothing occurring worth 
relating till we had got outside the Boston Light. 
Having had for a few days previous a heavy 
wind from the N. E. which caused a heavy swell 
to set in landward, but shortly after passing the 
light, the wind, lulling away into a dead calm, 
we drifted near the Cohasset Rocks; but soon 
the wind veered round to the S. W. which be- 
ing a fair wind for us, we steered for the British 
Provinces. After doubling Cape Ann we found 



ex-man-of-war's-man. 33 

that the wind having shifted to a diiferent point 
of compass formed short seas which made it 
very rough and disagreeable, and as the schooner 
scudded rapidly on before the fresh wind, in 
striking the cross-seas the spray was thrown all 
over the deck. It being the first time that I had 
ever been outside of the harbor in such rough 
weather I was very sea sick, but was treated 
very kindly by Capt. Pressey, he leaving me in 
the scuppers where the spray had a fair break 
over me. After remaining in this situation an 
hour or two the cook took compassion on me and 
removed me into the caboose. After getting 
thoroughly dry I was told my duty, which I per- 
formed after partaking of a salt junk and boiled 
potatoes. 



After a passage of three days the schooner 
arrived at St. Johns, in New Brunswick. After 
spending a few days there we returned, passing 
Blue Hills and Mount Desert, and came to an- 
chor off the island of Burncoat, near the mouth 
of the Penobscot Bay. We anchored about a 
mile from the shore on account of the reefs along 
that island, as we intended to get a cargo ot 
paving stones to freight a brig bound for New 
Orleans. We carried the stone from the shore to 
the schooner in a flat-bottomed boat called a 
scow. The gunwale of the scow was usually 
loaded to within three or four inches of the water, 
thus requiring a very smooth sea to get them on 
board. Having nearly completed our cargo, and 
as I in company with another boy was mov- 
ing the boat from the shore to the schooner, 
loaded very heavily, a short sea broke over her 
and she sunk. My companion asked me if I 



36 LIFE OF AN 

could swim, to which I replied in the negative ; 
he told me I must try at any rate, I got hold of 
an oar and struck out for the shore and kept 
afloat until I got within a hundred feet of the 
shore, when becoming exhausted I sank, but as I 
again rose to the surface a heavy sea struck me 
and sent me upon the beach. My companion 
having arrived in safety before me, grappled hold 
of me and prevented me from going back with 
the receding sea, I being stunned by the shock; 
after which I was carried on board the schooner 
which set sail for the harbor about eight miles 
distant. Arrived safely in the harbor about sun- 
set of the same day. The island of Burncoat 
belongs to the State of Maine, and lies half a 
day's sail N. E. of the Penobscot Bay, and at 
this time there was but one house on the island, 
with a store attached owned and kept by a Mr, 
Fife. The articles in the store consisted of a 
little tea, a little coffee, some ship's bread, beef, 
pork, a plenty of new rum and the same quanti- 
ty of molasses. The harbor was safe and com- 
modious for a small craft, and large enough to 



ex-man-of-war's-man. 37 

contain two or three hundred fishermen. About 
nine o'clock the following morning the wind be- 
gan to blow a gale from the S. E., and before 
noon had increased to quite a hurricane, at which 
time we found the little harbor was pretty close- 
ly stowed with fishermen which had run in to 
escape the gale. After coming to anchor and 
furling our sails and getting things snugly stow- 
ed away, most of us went ashore and entered a 
large building or barn which had a smooth plank 
floor with benches around it. At one end there 
were seats a little above the rest for musicians, 
which were soon filled with fiddlers from the fish- 
erman fleet, and after plying them well with 
"blackstrap" the sport commenced. Some of 
the expert danced the fisher's hornpipe, after 
which the whole company joined in the dance, 
and the way they put down their heavy fisher- 
man boots and the "blackstrap" was a caution 
to lazy folks. After remaining in the har- 
bor about forty-eight hours — the storm having 
abated — we set sail for Deer Isle, which lies in- 
side of Penobscot Bay. There we found the 



38 LIFE OF AN 

brig La Grange ready to receive her cargo of 
paving stone, with which we soon supplied her. 
I was very much pleased with Deer Isle, it being 
the birthplace of Capt. Pressey ; and I, being a 
favorite of the Captain, was received by the 
younger portion of the inhabitants as a favorite. 
There were quite a number of parties given 
while I was on the island, which I attended ; at 
one of them I was very much interested with 
one of the girls ; and on waiting upon her 
home, — her residence being some two or three 
miles distant, — in crossing the fields we lost our 
path and wandered about until nearly daylight 
before we discovered her residence. Although I 
had a pleasant companion, yet the walk was not 
quite so pleasant as it might have been had I 
not been placed in such an awkward position. 
After remaining there a week we set sail to ob- 
tain another cargo to carry to Boston; and after 
obtaining the cargo, which we did with dispatch, 
we returned to Deer Isle. After remaining there 
one day we set sail for Boston. As we passed 
out of the Bay we saw a rakish looking schooner 



ex-man-of-war's-man. 39 

which lay to the east of us, and as she was a 
very suspicious looking craft, we spoke a vessel 
which proved to be an American brig bound 
from Liverpool to Portland. She informed us 
that as she passed a fleet of fishermen the day 
before, one of them told her to look out for a 
pirate which was cruising in that section. The 
pirate proved to be the schooner Panda which 
was afterwards taken on the coast of Africa by 
an English cruiser, as will be recollected by many 
of our readerSj and was sent to Boston where 
her crew were executed, with the exception of De 
Soto who was pardoned. The following night 
we doubled Cape Ann and put into Gloucester 
in consequence of stormy head-winds. After 
coming to anchor and furling sail, I, in company 
with two more of the crew, went on shore and 
visited some places of amusement in which one 
of the crew got into trouble, which caused us to 
leave rather hastily and return on board. The 
following morning after heaving our anchor short, 
and while we were about getting under way, 
the Portland Revenue Cutter entered the har- 



40 LIFE OF AN 

bor, fired a shot under our bow, hove to, lowered 
a boat, and Capt. Sturgis boarded us and de- 
manded to see our papers, which were shown him 
giving the required satisfaction. The reason of 
his boarding us was in consequence of informa- 
tion which he had received respecting the pirate, 
he mistaking our schooner, the Only Son, for the 
Panda, owing to the similitude of their build. 
After giving him the satisfaction he required, 
we set sail for Boston, where we arrived the same 
evening. 



The following morning, having obtained my 
discharge, I visited my mother, who in conse- 
quence of my long absence had given me up as 
lost — she having read of a great number of ship- 
wrecks along the coast, caused by the S. E. gale 
spoken of while we were lying in the harbor of 
Burncoat. The next day I gave an invitation to 
my mother to ride with me to the neighboring 
town of West Cambridge, which she accepted. 
We accordingly visited our friends and returned 
to Boston by the way of Brighton. In the 
course of the ride my mother urged me to give 
up the sea and finish the carpenter's trade which 
I had commenced previous to going to sea. I 
accordingly stopped at Brighton and made an 
engagement with a Mr. Fuller to go the follow- 
ing Monday and finish my trade with him; this 
promise I fulfilled, remaining until 1836. At 
this time I left on account of some, difficulty 
with an apprentice, and went to work in Boston 



42 LIFE OF AN 

as a journeyman, where I was visited by Mr. 
Fuller who tried to have me go back to Brighton, 
but to no effect. While I was an apprentice in 
Brighton I boarded in the family of my employ- 
er, Mr. Fuller ; there was mutual satisfaction up 
to the time of my leaving, the difficulty being 
only between me and the younger apprentice. 
After remaining a short time in Boston I went 
to New York and entered into the employ of 
Leonard Miller, Maiden Lane ; and after remain- 
ing in the city a short time my employer sent 
me, in company with my two brothers, to Ma- 
maroneck, a town twenty-four miles from the 
city, and situated on the New York and Boston 
turnpike, where we were employed in building a 
country residence for Mr. Parsons, a wholesale 
merchant of New York. After this I worked 
for the same employer in New Rochelle, a town 
adjoining Mamaroneck, where I remained till the 
fall of 1837, at which time I returned to Boston, 
and after paying a short visit to my mother, 
visited my friends in Winchester, N. H., and 
returned to Boston in the spring of 1838. 



The following June I entered the naval service 
of the United States, on board of the Columbus, 
which was then lying at the navy yard at 
Charlestown. In July I obtained leave of ab- 
sence and visited my friends, and after remain- 
ing two days returned to my duty in the navy 
and was transferred to the ship Ohio, on the 
13th of October. On the following day the 
broad pennant of Commodore Isaac Hull was 
hoisted on board of the U. S. ship Ohio while 
lying at the Charlestown navy yard, and was 
saluted from the navy yard with thirteen guns. 
This splendid ship is the most perfect model of 
naval architecture, and the largest in commis- 
sion in the American service. She was built in 
Brooklyn navy yard and is one of the master- 
pieces of the skill of Eckford, who has since 
died in the Turkish service. She has one hun- 
dred and ten guns and carronades. Her guns 
on the berth-deck, 42-poundcrs ; on main-deck, 



46 LIFE OF AN 

32 ; on spar-deck, 42 carronades, and she spreads 
nearly 16,000 yards of canvas, which will cover 
nearly two acres of land. She is two hundred 
and eigh'fcy feet long from the heel of her bow- 
sprit to her taffrail. She is 48 feet beam amid- 
ship, draws 25 feet of water, and from her water 
line to the tip of the hammock-nettings is 22 
feet. She has four decks, viz : the spar-deck, 
main-deck, berth-deck, and orlop-deck, below 
which are the cable-tier and magazines. Her 
commander is Isaac Hull. This distinguished 
naval officer, who in the infancy of our navy 
gained signal and glorious achievements over the 
boasted mistress of the sea, won for himself im- 
perishable honors, ^nd caused the stars and 
stripes of freedom to float in proud triumph upon 
the ocean, is again upon his native element. At 
the commencement of the last war he was in 
command of the Constitution, familiarly known 
in the service as "Old Ironsides,'' and celebrated 
as being the first American vessel which broke 
the spell of British invincibility upon the ocean. 
Neither was his eye dim, nor his energy abated, 



ex-man-of-war's-man. 47 

although he was in the 66th year of his age. 
His fine and noble appearance, the firmness of 
his character, the remembrance of his former 
victories, all served to inspire in the crew a high 
regard and veneration towards him. Officers 
attached to the United States Ship Ohio : Com- 
mander, Commodore Isaac Hull; Captains, Jo- 
seph Smith and Kobert Stockton. The remain- 
ing officers attached to the ship consisted of 
nine Lieutenants, one fleet Surgeon, four Assist- 
ant Surgeons, one Chaplain, three Marine Offi- 
cers, Purser, fourteen passed Midshipmen, ten 
Midshipmen, Sailing Master, Professor of Math- 
ematics, Boatswain, Gunner, Carpenter, Sail- 
maker, Ship's Yeoman, Master's Mate, Master- 
at-Arms, Captain's Clerk, Purser's Clerk, Com- 
modore's Secretary, Commodore's Steward, Sur- 
geon's Steward, Purser's Steward, six Boat- 
swain's Mates, three Carpenter's Mates, two Gun- 
ner's Mates, two Sail Maker's Mates, Captain of 
the Hold, two Captains of the Forecastle, two 
of the Fore, two of the Main, and two of the 
Mizzen-Tops, four Quarter-Masters, four Quar- 



48 LIFE OF AN 

ter-Gunners, Captain of the Waist, and Ship's 
Cook. 

The ship's crew consisted of nearly 800 men, 
many of whom were veterans who had served 
their country faithfully, through good and 
through evil report. Many of them have stood 
in the front ranks of our naval victories — inured 
to perils, hardships, and dangers. From their 
youth their character is generally hardy, robust 
and brave, and there never was a ship which had 
a crew of better looking or more active men, or 
more spirited in the discharge of their respective 
duties. There were nearly sixty apprentice boys 
on board, and they were certainly much distin- 
guished for their activity ^n learning seaman- 
ship, — no less so for their diligence in their 
studies, as they had a good school with able 
teachers in which all the branches of the English 
language were taught, and all necessary indul- 
gence granted them. It is the policy as well as 
the interest of our government, to foster and 
nourish this system. To the praise of Secretary 
Paulding, then the vigilant head of the Navy 



ex-man-of-war's-man. 49 

Department, he had let nothing pass, but had 
flsed all his exertions to promote their interest 
and welfare. But would it not infuse life into 
the system, give more inducements to them to 
pursue a course of industry and attention, to 
give them Midshipmen's warrants instead of 
bestowing them on those who have rolled in the 
lap of wealth and dissipation ? Many of the 
boys had good education and were distinguished 
for industry and correct general deportment. 

The ship's company was divided into nine di- 
visions, — namely, the first, second, and third, 
being stationed on the berth or lower gun-deck; 
fourth, fifth and sixth on the main-deck; seventh 
and eight on the spar-deck, and the ninth on the 
orlop-deck. I was stationed in the sixth divis- 
ion on the main-deck, under the sixth lieuten- 
ant, and was first shot and wadsman to No. 30 
gun, also first boarder in action. I also belonged 
to the carpenter's gang, which stations I occu- 
pied during the whole cruise. The Marine Com- 
pany consisted of fifty-six well disciplined and 
efficient men under their respective officers, 



50 LIFE OF AN 

which constituted the Watch Guard, and when 
in full dress uniform they presented a handson* 
and martial appearance. Their uniform and 
arms were kept continually in fine order, and the 
company was under a high state of military 
discipline. They had a fine hand of music at- 
tached to the ship, most of whom were Italians 
— about twenty in number, — and their perform- 
ances served to pass off many idle hours with 
pleasure and amusement. 



EX-MAN-OF-WAIi'S-MAN. 51 

THE SAILOR-BOY. 

BY A NAVAL OFFICER. 

The sailor-boy rocks in his canvas nest, 

The harder it blows, the sounder he rests ; 

What vision bends o'er him? 'tis his mother in tears, 

"Whose fond words at parting, in fancy he hears ; 

Tho' the deck fore and aft is swept by the foam. 

The sailor-boy slumbers, and dreams of his home. 

That home far away fond memory brings 

Still fresh to his heart, on her rapid wings ; 

'Tis the bright star of hope, whose light never dies — 

'Tis the one streak of blue in his cloudy skies ; 

Whate'er be his fate, in what clime he may roam, 

Those thoughts are the sweetest that turn to his home. 

The waves swell to mountains, and loud howls the gale ! 
Hark ! the shrill whistle, — " all hands shorten sail !" 
On the top-sail yard-arm he is rocked to and fro, 
Whilst a fathomless grave yearns open below ! 
But though the mast bend to the feathery foam, 
The danger he recks not, but sings of his home. 

The foe heaves in sight, and glory alone 
Absorbs every thought — none other he'll own, 
Tho' death hovers round him, he's true to his gun — 
His flag is triumphant — the victory's won ! 
For his loved native land, the seas he'll still roam, 
And in fighting her battles, ho fights for his home. 



On the 16 th at sunrise, all hands were called 
to get under way and make sail, which order 
was immediately obeyed. The wharves of the 
city were crowded with the inhabitants who had 
come to take a view of their gallant ship, as she 
sailed in majesty out of the harbor. Having a 
'fresh and fair breeze of wind, in a few minutes 
the city of Boston, celebrated for its sterling 
patriotism in our Kevolutionary struggle, and 
its present commercial prosperity, was soon out of 
sight. We had a passage of six days, the weath- 
er generally pleasant and fair, and arrived on 
the 22d and moored ship close to the Brooklyn 
Navy Yard. We there took on board our guns, 
stores of all descriptions for the cruise, and 
60,000 lbs. of gunpowder. We were visited by 
the Secretary of the Navy, the Mayor of the city, 
and the Navy Commissioners. The Washington, 
Franklin , and North Carolina, three line of 
battle ships, were laid up in ordinary at that time 



54 LIFE OF AN 

at the Brooklyn Navy Yard. While lying at 
this yard, a number of my shipmates deserted 
and tried to have me desert with them, but could 
not prevail upon me to do so. On the second of 
December, Ezra Carter died in the sick bay, 
which is situated in the forward part, in the 
lower gun-deck, there being a bulk-head built 
across from larboard to starboard side, setting 
off a portion of this deck, as a hospital, called 
a sick bay. December 4th all hands were called 
at sunrise to make sail ; the steamboats Hercules 
and Samson on each side, with the U. S. frigate 
Fulton ahead, towed us out, which made a 
grand and imposing appearance. We passed a 
brig wrecked on Sandy Hook and came to anchor 
at the Horse Shoe, at which place we remained 
until the 6th, waiting for the chaplain, carpen- 
ter, gunner and purser, who were detained on 
shore and went out in a steam-frigate, at which 
time we set sail for the far-famed Mediterranean 
station. A thousand reflections crowded upon 
my mind in leaving the harbor of New York, the 
great emporium of the Union, a city which a 



ex-man-of-war's-man. 55 

few years ago was eclipsed by more than fifty in 
Europe — while there are now but six in advance 
of it, which speaks volumes for the enterprising 
spirit of that great metropolis. We had a fair 
but very heavy wind, but nothing worthy of 
notice happened until the 20th, when James 
Morse, of Koxbury, Mass., while reefing top- 
sails fell from the maintop-sail-yard to the deck, 
which killed him instantly. He was carried into 
the sick bay and examined by the surgeons, who 
found that his neck was broken, one of his arms 
and legs and his back horribly bruised. He was 
buried in the manner usual at sea — his body was 
put in clean linen, lashed up in his hammock, 
two shots^ on each side ; he was then carried to 
the gangway, and was laid on a wide smooth 
plank, with his feet to the leeward. Prayers 
were made by the Chaplain, in the usual church 
form; and when he came to the clause, "We 
now commit the body to the deep," two of his 
messmates raised the end of the plank, which 
launched his remains out of the lee gangway, 
into the great deep, there to remain until the sea 



56 LIFE OF AN 

gives up her dead. Morse was a noble-hearted 
fellow, and well beloved by all his shipmates. 

May our shipmate so dear, in his coarse canvas bier, 

Rest securely beneath the rough billows ; 
For in youth he was nipt, and life's cable he slipped, 

And the coral rock now is his pillow. 

He was sprightly and gay, at the close of the day, 

But the next hour found him a wreck ; 
As he lay on the yard, being off of his guard, 

Was quickly transferred to the deck. 

Before he was cold, all his messmates so bold. 

With tears in their eyes had him drest 
n his trowsers so white, while o'er him that night 
Hung the " Union," the flag he loved best. 

At ten the next day, in his hammock he lay, 

To sleep in the mariner's bed. 
When they heard a loud bawl, and the boatswain's* hrill call 

Summoned all hands to bury the dead. 

When they came to the place, all hands wore addres,sc<l 

By the Chaplain who services gave. 
And ere a man stirred, a loud plunge was heard. 

And the poor fellow went to his grave. 

Some bubbles arose from his place of repose, 

And as quickly forever they fled, — 
They gave but one tear, and that was sincere. 

One sigh for the honored dead. 



ex-man-of-war's-man. 57 

And there thoy all stood, in deep solemn mood, 
Till the boatswain's shrill call met their ear, 

Piping all hands below, — but the watch, you must know, 
AVent to work with their usual cheer. 



On the 21st James Lewis fell from the fore- 
top-sail-yard, overboard. There was a heavy 
rough sea at the time, and the ship was sailing 
at the rate of nine knots per hour. His almost 
miraculous escape was owing to the activity of 
the Captain of the fore top, who saw him fall 
and immediately threw over a rope from the 
fore chains, which Lewis caught hold of and was 
saved from a watery grave. On the 22d we 
passed the Azores, or Western Islands, the 
weather mild and pleasant, and spoke several 
vessels. On the 23d I saw several whales, the 
first I had seen since I left the United States. 
On the 25th saw several schools of porpoises, 
also dolphins and flying-fish. 



On the 27th we touched the famous Rock of 
Gibraltar. On beholding this great and mag- 
nificent work of nature for the first time, I was 
struck with admiration and awe. Nature has 
been lavish with her most noble and majestic 
gifts ; a solid body of rocks, rising over fourteen 
hundred feet, which is very steep, rugged and 
bold, and difiicult to ascend. On the summit 
all the treasures of skill and art have been ex- 
pended on the batteries mounted with the heav- 
iest metal. The cannons are suspended in all 
the narrow defiles, by massive chains. The fort 
near the summit, and all portions of the rock 
are now considered by all military men as im- 
pregnable. The taking of this important for- 
tress, which commands the entrance of the Med- 
iterranean, from the Spanish, is one of the most 
glorious triumphs in English naval history. It 
gives complete control over the immense com- 



60 LIFE OF AN 

merce of the Mediterranean, as it would be im- 
possible for any ship to pass the strong battery, 
as a single discharge from her guns would scat- 
ter in its train death and destruction, and there 
is a current of several knots per hour against a 
ship going out of the Gut, which is but a short 
distance across, between the Spanish and Afri- 
can coasts. The town of Gibraltar is handsome- 
ly built, considering the situations they are 
obliged to build on. She has a fine market, 
beautiful English Church, and several excellent 
public buildings. She enjoys a flourishing com- 
merce, as nearly all vessels touch there for trade 
or provisions. There are several large commer- 
cial houses, which transact a flourishing business. 
There are several regiments of English soldiers 
stationed here, which have a fine appearance and 
are in a state of high military discipline. There 
are a number of old hulks of seventy-fours built 
by the Spanish, which were destroyed by the 
English in the engagement and victory. No per- 
son can view these scenes without feeling deep 
emotions. The English flag waving in every 



ex-man-of-war's-man. g| 

gentle breeze of the wind, where once the Span- 
ish flag waved in proud defiance; the flags of 
every civilized nation, waving at the mast heads 
of the shipping in the harbor — all these scenes 
cannot but strike one with admiration. As I 
cast my eyes towards Africa I saw a nation 
which presented to the patriot and statesman a 
subject of deep and interesting contemplation. 
Once she occupied a proud station in the scale of 
nations, where the arts and sciences flourished 
and prospered* She now exhibits the truth de- 
clared by the historian, that all nations have 
their periods of rise and progress, fall and decay; 
and she presents these solemn and momentous, 
truths in a most humiliating and degrading 
light. She is blessed with a pleasant climate, 
all the productions that could administer to the 
comforts and luxuries of man. Added to these 
innumerable blessings, she once enjoyed consid- 
erable commercial importance. But change the 
scene. Truly a mighty change has come over 
the spirit of her dream. Her commerce is ruin- 
ed, or nearly annihilated, and what remains is a 



62 LIFE OF AN 

disgrace and foul stain upon the civilized por- 
tion of the world which participates in this hor- 
rid traffic, and is registered in Heaven, and can- 
not fail to bring down the just visitation of Sip. 
offended God. This trade is still carried on 
in all its treachery and cruelty. The different 
tribes are stimulated to war by the avarice and 
goods of the Europeans and Americans, and 
those captured in this unnatural warfare are 
sold into slavery, where they receive oppression 
and tyranny without a tincture of mercy, and 
drink the cup of affliction to its very dregs. 
Her sons, who were once distinguished for in- 
telligence and bravery, are now ignorant and 
wretched ; and this once flourishing country, 
which fought for the scepter of power with the 
throne of the CaBsars, is now a land filled with 
misery and despair. 

On the 4th of January, 1839, we arrived at 
Mahon, one of the Balearic Islands, this being 
our naval rendezvous — having sailed a distance of 
4000 miles in twenty-eight days. The weather 
having been generally stormy, we had a fair op- 



ex-man-of-war's-man. 6i 

portunity to test the qualities of our ship. All 
pronounced her, with general consent, to be one 
of the finest, and fastest sailing and firmest built 
ships that ever floated upon salt water, and, in 
the language of her constructor, " She would be 
the model of all ships of her class hereafter." 
The entrance of the harbor of Mahon is very- 
narrow, and, at a short distance at sea, it would 
not be supposed that there was any opening in 
the bold and broken shore wide enough for a ship 
to enter. But as we passed the mouth of the 
harbor one of the grandest prospect-s presented 
itself to our view. It is one of the most beau- 
tiful and boldest harbors in the world, where the 
largest ships can lie in perfect safety, in the most 
severe gale, without danger of any description. 
The English formerly had nearly two hundred 
sail in this harbor, consisting of seventy-four 
frigates, and sloops of war ; and it is said that 
under certain contingencies slip will come into 
possession, and it must be a valuable harbor for a 
portion of her extensive navy. As we sailed 
into the harbor, we passed St. Phillips Castle on 



64 LIFE OF AN 

the left. Upon the opposite bank was the re- 
mains of Fort Marlborough, now in a state of 
decay. We passed close to the Lazaretto^ a 
large and spacious building, built in fine style, of 
granite, with a beautiful yard inclosed by a wall. 
It is so arranged as to prevent the spreading of 
any contagious disease, and the accommodations 
are sufficient for any emergency. It is now occu- 
pied by the French soldiers and officers, who 
were wounded in the engagement at Algiers. 
Higher up the harbor m Quarantine Island. 
Around may be seen moored in security, the 
ships and crafts of various nations, undergoing 
their purifying penalties. Nearly opposite is 
Georgetown, a handsomely built village, con- 
taining nearly 6000 inhabitants. Up the har- 
bor still further, is the Navy Yard which 
appears to have been built at considerable 
expense; has several good buildings, and it 
is now principally occupied by the United 
States Navy for the purpose of storing provis- 
ions, stores of various descriptions, lumber and 
spars, and the different kinds of mechanics 



ex-man-of-war's-man. 65 

occupy the buildings for workshops. There is a 
high^ rough eminence to rise before reaching 
Mahon, and a road is cut out of the solid rock at 
much labor and expense. The town of Mahon 
is beautifully situated on the east side of the 
island of the Minorca. The houses are well built 
and made of a soft stone resembling sandstone, 
which is easily fashioned into any shape to suit 
the artist. The houses are generally built two 
or three stories high and are always kept white- 
washed, which gives them a neat and handsome 
appearance. The Custom-House is a fine pub- 
lic building. There are four large Catholic 
churches, built in the Gothic style; they are 
both grand and splendid. In the Cathedral 
there is one of the finest toned organs in the 
world. It is said Lord Exmouth oifered one 
hundred thousand dollars for it, which they re- 
fused to take ; they set a high value upon it, as 
it is a noble piece of workmanship. As I visit- 
ed the Cathedral for the first time I was struck 
with admiration, — the first sight I beheld was 
Christ expiring on the cross. Its stupendous 



66 LIFE OF AN 

walls were covered with all manner of paintings, 
the lamps continually burning, the holy water in 
alabaster urns, all were scenes calculated to in- 
spire one with awe. The churches are general- 
ly crowded in the morning when the people 
attend mass, who seem very zealous in their de- 
votions. There were two markets, which were 
usually well supplied, but they were surrounded 
by a motley group of human beings, with misery 
depicted in their countenances in stronger colors 
than the ablest artist could portray. Mahon 
contained a population of 18,000 inhabitants. 
Many of the people were extremely poor. She 
remained firm to the interests of the Queen in 
the civil war, which had scattered in its path 
ruin and destruction. The young, spirited men 
of Mahon, against their will had been drawn into 
the army by conscription, and dragged out a 
miserable life in the most galling servitude. 
Hardly any ever return to their homes, or to the 
pleasant scenes of youth — which fully accounted 
for the small number of young men then in 
Mahon. Labor and living were very low. The 



ex-man-of-war's-man. 67 

strongest laboring men received from twenty to 
thirty cents per day, and their best mechanics 
not over fifty. They are industrious and sober. 
The rent of the finest houses was not over forty 
dollars a year, and generally from five to ten 
dollars for the ordinary buildings. Mahon has a 
small commerce ; she once had a flourishing one. 
She now builds a few small vessels annually. 
Her commerce has been cut off by a despotism 
at once cruel and tyrannical. With her own 
resources untrammeled, in a few years the whole 
face of the island would wear a flourishing as- 
pect. Her climate is one of the finest in the 
world ; in the summer it is pleasant, in the win- 
ter it is mild. The temperature is generally 
from sixty to seventy degrees. The Barracks 
were situated in the north-west part of the town, 
and contained two regiments of Spanish sol- 
diers. 



On the sixth th^ American Consul, Mr. Kich, 
went on board with his family. As he left the 
ship he expressed himself highly pleased with it, 
as also with the fine and hearty appearance of 
the crew. He was nearly sixty years of age, and 
had a fine countenance. He was said to be very 
correct in his public transactions. He had con- 
siderable business owing to the ships lying there, 
and all the stores and public matters were under 
his charge. He was much respected by the citi- 
zens of Mahon, both in his private and public 
character. The same day Edmund Burke, a 
marine, died in the sick bay. There were usual- 
ly from sixty to eighty on the sick list, and in 
rouo-h weather there were frequently near two 
hundred on the report,— which was every morn- 
ing sent to the Captain,— which also included 
the names of those who were excused from duty, 
by the slightest illness. There was a handsome 



72 LIFE OF AN 

dispensatory on the orlojo-deck ; also on the same 
deck the wardroom, officers' state-rooms, mid- 
shipmen and passed midshipmen's mess-rooms ; 
purser's, carpenter's, boatswain's, gunner's and 
sail-maker's store-rooms. 

February 22d was honored by a national 
salute of thirteen guns, in memory of the birth 
of Washington, who was emphatically the father 
of his country. As long as liberty has an abiding 
place, or freedom has advocates, his glorious 
careeFj whether at the command of the army, or 
presiding over the destinies of the nation, will 
ever be cherished with the liveliest emotions of 
patriotic pride and gratification. The salute 
was answered by a French sloop at our leeward, 
which brought fresh to the memory the gcenerous 
and liberal aid and co-operation of that gallant 
nation in the darkest period of our Revolutiona- 
ry struggle, when the hearts of many were filled 
with gloom and despondency ; and never, as long 
as time shall exist, will the American cease to 
cherish the noble services of her illustrious La- 
fayette, the bosom friend of Washington, whose 



ex-man-of-wae's-man. 73 

united efforts at Yorktown closed that great 
contest in victory. A splendid ball was given by 
Commodore Hull to the officers of the squadron 
and the principal citizens of Mahon. The quar- 
ter-deck was handsomely decorated with flags ; 
swords and muskets were tastefully arranged. 
The ship's band enlivened the scene by patriotic 
national tunes. 

Henry Brown died on the ninth of March. 
The boatswain piped all hands on the tenth, in 
the forenoon, to bury the dead. His remains 
were conveyed to the burial ground at Mahon, 
by his messmates. Thus was fulfilled the warn- 
ing of Scripture, " In the midst of life we are 
in death." At this time the Cyane sloop of war 
was lying in the harbor, a little to our leeward. 
She was a fine ship, built at Charlestown navy 
yard, and was named after the Cyane taken from 
the English in the last war. She was mounted 
with twenty thirty-two-pounders. Her com- 
mander was Captain John Percival, who was 
frequently called mad Jack ; he was spoken of 
by his men in high terms of praise ; he was said 



74 LIFE OF AN* 

to be the seaman's friend, and to keep a bright 
lookout for their welfare. No better sailor than 
Gapt. Percival was ever upon salt water ; he was 
slim built, near six feet in height ; he was plain 
in his dress, frank and open in his manners. He 
captured a pirate vessel, which a few days before 
had boarded two English brigs. He was a dan- 
gerous character to pirates in all disguises, 
whether the one which openly hoisted its pirati- 
cal colors on the broad ocean, or the Pursers 
who took a more covert way to plunder the crew 
of their wages, and it was said he had as much 
respect for one as the other. He exercised his 
usual energy and sagacity in capturing this 
pirate. He took her from the description he had 
from the English brigs she plundered, and from 
one of which she took a spare mainsail. The 
pirate run into Madeira. The Cyane imme- 
diately overhauled the suspicious craft, and for 
some time it was uncertain whether she was the 
pirate or not, such was the artful management of 
her crew ; but in the hold he found the mainsail 
of the English brig, concealed under her stores, 



75 

which condemned her at once. The Cyane was 
out all seasons and weathers. She was a fast 
sailing and handsomely built ship, and had an 
excellent crew. On the tenth I received per- 
mission to go on shore and remain forty-eight 
hours, during which time I visited the cathedral, 
barracks, and all the public buildings. A part 
of the Sabbath, on board our ship, was usually 
devoted to religious worship^ It is a singular 
and impressive scene to see over eight hundred 
men, in their man-of-war dress nearly as white 
as snow — the apprentice boys arranged in front 
of the seamen ; the ordinary seamen on the lar- 
board side of the quarter-deck ; the marines 
with their bright polished, glittering arms, in 
front of them ; the band handsomely dressed, 
forward of the mainmast ; the officers in their 
finest uniforms ; the choir aloft of the mainmast, 
of which I was leader ; the heavens obscured by 
awnings, with curtains on each side to keep out 
the glare of the sun ; the capstan covered with 
our national flag, where the Chaplain performs 
the ceremony; all conspire to render the scene 



76 LIFE OF AN 

both interesting and useful. At this time in- 
telligence reached us of the existence of dis- 
turbances between the State of Maine and New 
Brunswick, growing out of the boundary ques- 
tion, which had been for a long time a subject of 
negotiation. Our ship was put in condition for 
actual service immediately after the intelligence 
was received from the American minister, Mr. 
Stephenson, then at the court of St. James. 
Exercising guns and muskets, the firing of tar- 
gets, and general quarters, were the order of the 
day. All the division were under perfect disci- 
pline, and appeared anxious for the conflict to 
commence. 



Court martial commenced on the first, and 
continued until the ninth of April. The court 
was composed of several officers who were at- 
tached to the squadron. The trials were held 
in the cahin. The usual forms and customs 
were observed, such as hoisting a signal-jack, 
and firing a gun at the commencement of the 
proceedings. The injunction of secresy was con- 
sidered binding, and the verdict was read on the 
quarter-deck ; so you would suppose that in all 
trials of this description, justice and mercy were 
meted out to the parties. But in too many in- 
stances it is but the cruel record of the Captain 
of the ship, and the proceedings are a cloak 
under which are perpetrated the grossest tyran- 
ny and injustice. James Eeynolds was first 
tried for striking Jonathan C. Charlotte, which 
caused the loss of his eye ; this occurred on the 
eighth of February while all hands were lashing 



78 LIFE OF AN 

lip their hammocks. Charlotte provoked him, 
and Keynolds struck him, and was placed in 
double irons for sometime. He was sentenced to 
sixty lashes — he received thirty ; the remainder 
were remitted by order of the Commodore. 
James Walker was next tried for disobedience of 
orders, and received sixty lashes. This punish- 
ment was severe in the extreme. They sus- 
tained no charges against him but disobedience 
of orders, he refusing to go on deck when order- 
ed by midshipman Forrest. After he had abused 
him in all manner of speech, and struck him 
several times, he went and reported him, and he 
was tried by a court martial. The officer, to 
screen himself, insisted upon his punishment. 
Now contrast the case of Eeynolds : when he 
struck Charlette, and knocked out his eye — an 
injury which will follow him to his grave — he 
received thirty lashes ; while Walker, who was 
himself insulted, and beaten, received for little 
or no offence sixty lashes. Is this giving im- 
partial justice between man and man .^ Edmund 
Kenney was next tried for desertion and was 



ex-man-of-war's-man. 79 

sentenced to sixty lashes, which he received with 
much firmness, after remaining in the brig ten 
days. The brig is on the starboard side of the 
main gun-deck, and is the place of confinement 
for all who are under sentence of punishment, 
and is frequently all that many receive ; others 
receive two or three dozen with the cat-o-nine- 
tails, on the bare back, in face of, and in direct 
opposition to the laws of Congress, which dis- 
tinctly and plainly say no man shall receive 
over one dozen. But some of the officers make 
their own laws to suit their own malicious pur- 
poses. 

Monday, April 15th, all hands were called to 
unmoor ship and make sail ; we got under way 
before sunrise. We were cheered by numerous 
groups of citizens as we sailed out of the harbor, 
had a fair sail with the Cyane which got under 
way at the same time, and soon we left her far to 
the leeward. We spoke several ships, bearing 
at their mast-heads the flags of various civilized 
nations, and loaded with wines, fruits, and silks 
of the Mediterranean. Wednesday, the 17th, 



80 LIFE OF AN 

we had strong winds, rough sea, and stormy 
weather, which carried away our main-royal- 
mast. Saturday, 20th, weather pleasant. We 
came to anchor about sixty fathoms from the 
rock of Gibraltar. We fired, a salute of twenty- 
one guns, which was answered from the battery. 
Mr. Sprague, the American Consul, visited our 
vessel at this port ; we gave him a salute of thir- 
teen guns. Friday, 26th, weather rough and 
stormy, we parted our cable and run foul of the 
English brig Sutherland and damaged her con- 
siderably, which we repaired. Monday, 29th, the 
wind fresh and fair, we weighed anchor and made 
sail, in company with several American ships, 
which had been at Gibraltar several weeks wait- 
ing for a favorable wind. We passed within a 
short distance, and had a fair view of Tangiers, 
Trafalgar, and Morocco. On the 30th we pass- 
ed a French man-of-war, which we saluted 
with thirteen guns. The third of May we pass- 
ed into the bay of Biscay, caught several large 
turtle, and saw several sharks. On the 17th we 
took on board a pilot, and came to anchor in the 



ex-man-of-war's-man. 81 

commodious harbor of Lisbon. We fired a 
national salute of thirteen guns, which was 
answered from the battery. On the 20th 
and 21st we fired salutes in honor of sev- 
eral of the most distinguished statesmen in 
Europe, who came on board the Ohio. Among 
the number were the French, Spanish, English, 
Belgian, Prussian, and American Ministers, 
and the Prime Minister of Portugal who was 
a fine looking public officer, and expressed 
himself highly pleased with the order and beau- 
ty of the Ohio. On the 23d a grand salute was 
fired from our ship, from the English Fleet, and 
from the Battery, in honor of Queen Victoria, 
and all the ships were highly decorated with 
flags. A splendid dinner was given by Commo- 
dore Hull, to the officers of the English squad- 
ron. They attended in their most splendid 
equipage. It was a brilliant affair. Lisbon, the 
capital of Portugal, is built upon several small 
hills. It was nearly destroyed by an earthquake 
in 1775, and its dreadful effects are visible to 
this day. The city has been rebuilt with great 



82 LIFE OF AN 

improvements, in the modern style of architec- 
ture. The palace of the Queen is a splendid 
and costly edifice, in the construction of which 
neither skill nor expense has been wanting, and 
it is both grand and beautiful. The markets 
were large and well supplied. Several of the 
public buildings are built in fine style of marble 
and stone. The situation of Lisbon is one of 
the finest in Europe, and is on the river Tagus. 
The large and beautiful harbor, crowded with 
ships, its extensive gardens, the beautiful groves 
of orange and lemon trees, its mild and pleasant 
climate, all combine to render it one of the most 
delightful cities in Europe. The political dis- 
turbances and civil wars which have desolated 
this beautiful country, have had a demoralizing 
effect on the character of the people, nearly des- 
troyed their finances and injured the commerce 
of the nation. At that time the country was at 
peace, and the Queen had called the aid and pro- 
tection of the English, and they had in the har- 
bor three first class line of battle-ships, one 
frigate, one sloop of war and one man-of-war 



ex-man-of-war's-man. 83 

brig to protect the interests of the Queen, and 
to quell an}^ sudden insurrection. Four of our 
men deserted at this place. 

May 28 th, all hands were called to unmoor 
ship and make sail. The weather was mild and 
pleasant. We passed the rock of Gibraltar on 
the 31st. We had a ^fair trial with, and easily 
beat the Cyane, while sailing with her. The 
Cyane had not been beaten before since she sail- 
ed from the States. June 4th, we came to an- 
chor in the harbor of Mahon; weather mild and 
pleasant; distance from Lisbon eleven hundred 
miles. Two men run away from the Ohio at 
this place; thirteen invalids were sent home in 
the store-ship, under the charge of midshipman 
Bowers. June 10th I had some trouble with 
and severely flogged one of the'crew, a Spaniard, 
for slandering the character of an absent mess- 
mate. June 13th, all hands were called at three 
o'clock, to up anchor and make sail; we got un- 
der Vay before sunrise. The wind was fresh and 
fair, we had a pleasant passage, and on the 14th 
arrived at Marseilles ; came to anchor in the 



84 LIFE OF AN 

outer roadstead, nearly three miles from the city, 
and fired a national salute ; distance from 
Mahon, 300 miles. 



Marseilles is a large, flourishing city, distin- 
guished alike for its great commerce and manu- 
factures, its pleasant climate and beautiful 
scenery, and the intelligence of its inhabitants. 
Her public buildings are grand and beautiful ; 
her hospital is one of the most commodious in 
Europe ; her private houses are built in a uni- 
form and handsome style, aud her streets wide, 
clean and well paved. She has a good harbor 
continually crowded with shipping, and the flags 
of every nation can be seen waving at their mast- 
heads, and but five cities in Europe have so flour- 
ishing a commerce, or in which there is so much 
bustle and activity among the citizens. At this 
place one of the crew deserted. 

June 20th, all hands were called at half-past 
two, and got under way before daylight. We had 
a pleasant passage, — ar^ved at Leghorn on the 
24th, and fired a salute of twenty-one guns. The 



S6 LIFE OF AN 

salutes were usually fired from the main gun- 
deck, from the thirty-two pounders. On the 
26th the Consuls of the United States, England, 
and Sweden, went on board, and were saluted 
as they left the ship. Leghorn is the principal 
seaport in the grand-dukedom of Tuscany, ar^ 
after the overthrow of Napoleon was made depen- 
dent on the Crown of Austria. The capital, Flor- 
ence, is situated nearly fifty miles from Leghorn. 
Immediately at the entrance into the city is a 
splendid marble statue, and four bronze figures 
representing Africans in chains. The statue is 
said to have been erected by one of the sovereigns 
of the country, in memory of his son, who return- 
ed from a great victory; and in the excitement 
natural to such a result, violated the quarantine 
laws and suffered death. This noble monument 
was reared by his father, to perpetuate his mem- 
ory, and at the same time to show all the dreadful 
consequences of a violation of the quarantine laws. 
Leghorn is a most splendid city. Many of the 
buildings are constructed of pure white marble; 
the streets are wide and well paved, and she has 



ex-man-of-war's-man. 87 

a flourishing commerce with the United States. 
When I was in that place,there were several noted 
artists making a splendid equestrian statue of 
General George Washington, which has since been 
brought to the United States and placed at the 
Capital. 

July 3d, all hands were called to unmoor ship 
and make sail. The Grand Duchess came along- 
side, in her splendid barge. After sailing nearly 
twelve miles, we hove to, and she came on board 
with all her retinue of attendants. The Duchess 
was very tall and spare, and had a handsome and 
cheerful countenance. After examining the 
ship, and partaking refreshments, she left us. 
We gave her several cheers, then exhibited a 
burning blue light at each yard-arm, and let off 
several rockets, and fired a salute of twenty-one 
guns, which, in the darkness of the night, had a 
beautiful effect. The city was handsomely 
illuminated, and they gave the Ohio a salute of 
twenty-one guns, and all the ceremony passed off 
"Nvith pleasure. The wind continued fair, and 
we again made sail. We had a pleasant passage, 



88 LIFE OF AN 

and arrived, on the sixth of July, in the Bay of 
Naples, a distance of three hundred miles from 
Leghorn. As we entered the bay, Mt. Vesuvius 
first struck our eyes, in the majestic grandeur 
of nature, so celebrated by ancient historians, 
and which has excited in the minds of modern 
travelers such a lively interest. It rises 3700 
feet high, and its base is thirty miles in circum- 
ference. Thirty-five eruptions are recorded, in 
which it is supposed over 15000 people have 
perished, — the ruin and destruction of Hercula- 
neum and Pompeii, amidst the splendor and 
happiness of its inhabitants, withered as by a 
spell ; the palaces, streets, temples, and its gar- 
dens, swept away in a single night. Excava- 
tions were then being made, for the purpose of 
bringing to light the ruins of these cities. The 
inhabitants view with dread and alarm these 
destructive eruptions, which spread ruin and des- 
olation in their path. The bay of Naples is 
about twelve miles long, and three wide, and is 
one of the finest in the world ; a landscape truly 
delightful, and in viewing it in the stillness of 



ex-man-of-war's-man". 89 

the night, a perfect charm steals over the senses. 
It is bold and noble, where all the ships in 
the world could lie in perfect safety. Opposite 
Mount Vesuvius, is Naples, which may be justly 
termed the queen of cities. Her clear, pleasant 
and delightful climate^ her grand and beautiful 
scenery ; the splendor of her. public buildings — 
all are a scene of enchantment. The palace is 
brilliant beyond all description, and the gardens 
are splendid specimens of Eastern opulence. 
The houses are built of marble and stone, the 
streets are wide and well paved. In sculpture 
and painting she excels all the nations of Eu- 
rope ; her choice productions adorn her own city. 
The city is defended by a strong wall, and pow- 
erful battery, and a well disciplined army of 
50,000 soldiers. The theaters constructed un- 
derground by Kero the Koman tyrant ; the 
tomb of Virgil, and monument of Hercules ; all 
her splendid pillars, temples, and public monu- 
ments, speak in the language of queen Sheba 
when she visited king Solomon, and beheld aU 
his immense treasures : She exclaimed, that 



90 LIFE OF AN 

one half of his greatness had not been told 
her. So it is with Naples : all her grandeur 
and beauty, her opulence and splendor, her 
scenery, climate, and her manufactures and com- 
merce, the manners and habits of her people — 
all these great things ha v^ not half been told us, 
as we find them stretched out in all her glorious 
landscape and enchanting scenery. 

July 20th, in the evening, we unmoored ship 
and made sail. On the 24th, we laid off the 
island of Malta, noted and described as the 
island of Melita, where St. Paul was shipwreck- 
ed as recorded in the Sacred Writings. We did 
not go into the harbor, on account of the rigid 
quarantine laws, as the people of this island 
suffered dreadfully of the plague — brought in a 
ship from Smyrna, in 1813. We again made 
sail on the 30th, and passed the island of Milo, 
called the second Gibraltar, on account of its 
strong natural defenses. On the 31st of July, 
in the middle watch of night, Charles Smith got 
overboard, and swam to a Greek brig and escap- 
ed. On the 1st of August we hove to off Hydra, 



ex-man-of-war's-man. 91 

and took on board a pilot. V7e arrived at 
Athens on the 2d of August, and moored ship 
in her excellent harbor — distance from Malta, 
520 miles. We fired a national salute, which 
was answered from the battery. 



On viewing the moldering remains of fallen 
Athens, I was struck with feelings of regret 
mingled with admiration, — of regret that those 
magnificent creations of genius have gone to 
decay ; of admiration because enough of the 
ruins remain to indicate the genius which cre- 
ated them. Athens was once the proud and 
mighty capital of the Grecian Eepublic — a re- 
public whose sway extended over a large portion 
of the globe, and whose brave generals are said 
to have wept because there were no more nations 
worthy to be conquered ; a republic in which 
were first nurtured those pure principles of de- 
mocracy which are now so gloriously carried out 
by the American Union. But now her glory and 
splendor have all departed, and are known only 
by her ruins and the page of the historian. 
Once Athens produced men skilled in the arts 
and sciences ; orators whose eloquence was un- 



94 LIFE OF AN 

rivaled then, and never can be equaled ; poets 
whose verse is immortal, and historians whose 
writings have furnished an inexhaustible fountain 
of knowledge to all succeeding generations ; but 
now, alas, how changed ! Her ancient halls of 
learning are solitary and deserted, except by 
strangers who continually roam through them ; 
the scholar to tread over the classic soil, and the 
artist to study the beautiful remains of her an- 
cient greatness and grandeur. From the harbor 
there is a fair view of the hill of Mars where, in 
the early days of Athens, her judges met in the 
open air dispensing justice and equity alike to all. 
We sat upon the same celebrated spot where, 
nearly 2000 years ago, St. Paul stood and in his 
address to the Athenians said, " Ye men of 
Athens, I perceive in all things ye are too super- 
stitious." Bending ''your gaze onward a short 
distance, the remains of the magnificent temple 
of Jupiter Olympus are presented to your view. 
This temple was built of pure white marble, 
having a front of 200 feet, and over 390 feet in 
length ; and it contained 120 columns, 16 of 



ex-man-of-war's-man. 95 

which are still standing. They are flirted and 
have rich Corinthian capitals towering more than 
60 feet above the ancient plain^ as perfect as 
when first erected nearly 5000 years ago. Pass- 
ing these ruins we came to the ruined temple of 
Minerva, which is built of pure white polished 
marble, and is the noblest monument of archi- 
tectural genius the world ever produced. Its 
length is 208 feet, and breadth 102 feet. At 
each end were rows of columns, 34 feet in 
height and six in diameter. During the seige of 
Athens by the Venitians, the central part was 
occupied by the Turks as a magazine. A bomb 
was fired into it, which entirely destroyed this 
beautiful building. Afar ofi", and almost lost in 
the distance, rise the Pentelican mountains, from 
the body of which was hewn the huge blocks 
which were wrought and perfected by the artist, 
and now stand the lofty and stately columns of 
the ruined temples. But alas, how fallen ! 
After having been conquered by the Romans, and 
afterwards sacked by the Turks, many of her 
monuments yet remain, defying the crumbling 



96 LIFE OF AN 

power of time or the more destructive hands of 
the barbarians. 

On the 8th of August, great preparations were 
made on board the Ohio to receive king Otho 
and his queen, who arrived at seven o'clock in 
the evening. We hoisted a splendid Grecian 
flag at our mast-head, and manned the top-sail, 
royal and mainyards. The men stationed there 
made a fine appearance. We then fired a na- 
tional salute of 21 guns. The king and suit 
were received by Commodore Hull at the star- 
board gangway ; and the band on the quarter- 
deck immediately struck up "God save the 
King." Otho was one of the Bavarian princes, 
and was placed upon the throne of Greece through 
the influence of England, Germany and France, 
at the close of the Greek Kevolution in 1830, 
when they succeeded in freeing themselves from 
the despotism of the Saracens. The personal 
appearance of the king is fine and noble ; he is 
full six feet in height, walks with a firm and 
elastic step, has a fair and handsome counte- 
nance with a bright and penetrating eye, and is 



ex-man-of-war's-man. 97 

remarkably well formed. His features are both 
gentle and manly. His head was adorned with 
a Grecian cap of pure deep red, with a crown 
formed of rich gems. %He wore a beautiful deep- 
blue frock, highly ornamented, and by his side a 
splendid sword with a belt clasped with gold and 
diamonds. He was but 25 years of age, and had 
a young appearance. The queen is the daughter 
of the Grand Duke of Aldenburg. She 'was 22 
years of age, and was very handsome, free and 
cheerful in conversation, and a^^ patron of the arts 
and sciences. She is much admired by the na- 
tives. Mademoiselle Bozzaris, daughter of the 
celebrated Grecian patriot Marco Bozzaris, was 
also in attendance. She was a paragon of per- 
fection. Her dress was neat and elegant ; she 
wore a crimson velvet jacket, trimmed with gold 
and clasped with a splendid jewel. She is the 
great favorite of the queen. The king and his 
suite passed between two columns of men, direct- 
ly after beating for quarters on the spar, main, 
berth, and orlop-decks. The men were dressed 
in their best mustering suits. The white sheet- 



98 LIFE OF AN 

ing trowsers, the man-of-war frocks, pumps and 
white stockings all in uniform, with the polish- 
ed bright work, and armed with their cutlasses, 
boarding-pikes and battl^axes, made a hand- 
some appearance, and the king expressed himself 
highly pleased with their order and neatness, and 
the fine and noble appearance of our ship. After 
partaking of refreshments with the Commodore, 
the royal visitors left the ship. As soon as 
they passed over the side, all hands were station- 
ed in the rigging and gave them three cheers. 
We again fired a salute of 21 guns, burned sev- 
eral blue lights and fired off several rockets, 
which made a fine display. The occasion passed 
off with pleasure and interest. 

On Friday the 9th of August, all hands were 
called to unmoor ship and make sail. We had 
fine weather while lying at Athens. On the 
10th, it being stormy and windy, we were obliged 
to keep tacking ship for fear of running ashore, 
the straits being so narrow. On the 11th we 
came to anchor in the bay of Vocirla, which is 
a bold and commodious harbor. It was a small 



ex-man-of-war's-man. 99 

place, consisting of few inhabitants, who were 
principally engaged in cultivating the vine and 
olive tree. The grapes were delicious and in 
great abundance. On Sunday the 18th, we 
received a visit from the American Consul from 
Smyrna. On the 23d, got under way and made 
sail. On the 26th all hands were called to gen- 
eral quarters, and we had a grand display — firing 
by divisions, on the berth, main, and spar-decks, 
which presented a lively scene. It appeared like 
the vivid lightning of heaven. Soon the ship 
was filled with a dense smoke and was as dark 
as Egyptian darkness. Immediately the bugle 
sounded the call " boarders away !" and in a 
moment the men were in their stations, and the 
order was given to " repel boarders," which order 
was promptly obeyed. After going through with 
all the exercises, the guns were secured and the 
drums beat a retreat. 

On the 31st of August, Wm. Summers was 
skylarking on the spar-deck and fell out of the 
larboard gangway. He was a smart boy and 
the youngest on board our ship, being only ten 



100 LIFE OF AN 

years of age. Charles McLean, quartermaster, 
saw him fall and immediately leaped overboard 
after him. Though the ship was sailing at six 
knots an hour, he succeeded in getting him in a 
few moments. Miss Hull generously presented 
McLean with a gold piece (five dollars) for his 
efforts in saving the boy Summers, who was 
much liked on board for his youthful activity 
and spirit. On the 2d, 3d and 4th of Septem- 
ber we had a heavy blow, and the sea was very 
rough. On the 8th we arrived at the quarantine 
ground at Mahon, and moored ship. As we 
came from the most unhealthy part of the Med- 
iterranean we had twenty days quarantine. 
Several tailors and bumboatmen went into quar- 
antine with us and occupied the buildings on the 
island used as work-shops. October 5th, we 
again made sail ; towards sundown had several 
showers, the weather cold and continuing so 
until the next day, Tuesday. Oct. 15th, weath- 
er clear and pleasant, the sun shining in all its 
glory on the blue waters of the Mediterranean. 
We came to anchor in the port of Gibraltar. . A 
Dutch frigate of sixty guns gave us a salute, 
which we answered. 



On the 16th, all hands were called to up 
anchor and make sail. On the IQth, immediately 
after the starboard watch was called in the 
morning, a terrible storm commenced. All hands 
were soon called on deck for the first time, to save 
ship. The Commodore was on deck and sup- 
ported himself by the brass railing, immediately 
abaft of the binnacle^ and gave his orders with 
great coolness. The sea was running mountains 
high, and which stove in the starboard bow- 
port, on the main gun-deck ; and while I was 
putting in a new port, there was another sea 
struck her, and washed me clear to the waiste of 
ship ; after which the ship hove to for a few mo- 
ments, and we made out to secure the port. 
For sometime fear was depicted on the counte- 
nance of many a gallant tar. Many an uncer- 
tain hour passed — the wind was so strong it 
would seem to sweep into destruction everything 



104 LIFE OF AN 

in its course. A fine French frigate, which was 
plainly seen by us to the leeward, was dashed to 
pieces on the rocks, unable to sustain itself 
against the violence of the storm ; but the Ohio 
worked and labored like a thing of life, and rode 
the storm in safety. Tuesday the 22d, we laid 
off the island of Madeira, which is 616 miles 
from the rock of Gibraltar. We fired a signal 
gun for a pilot at five o'clock. Madeira, so long 
noted for its superior wines, derives its wealth 
chiefly from this source. The scenery is beauti- 
ful, her soil rich and highly cultivated ; her 
buildings are neat and handsome, and her inhab- 
itants are industrious. The purest quality of 
wine is made from, a small black grape, resem- 
bling the small frost-grape of America. The 
officers purchased a quantity of wine for their 
own private use. On the evening of the 24th, 
all hands were called to make sail. We arrived 
at Santa Cruz and had a fine view of the famous 
peak of Teneriffe, which can be seen nearly one 
hundred miles. This peak rises two miles and 
a half above the level of the sea. 



ex-man-of-war's-man. 105 

There were sixteen towns on the Canary- 
Islands, which contained a population of over 
160,000 inhabitants ; they are situated about 
260 miles from Madeira. We fired a salute of 
twenty-one guns, which was answered from an 
old Moorish battery. Santa "Cruz is a small 
but handsome town, and is neatly built, has a 
fine harbor and considerable trade. We sailed 
into Santa Cruz, at the request of the Ameri- 
can Consul, to assist the brig. True Friends, an 
American vessel, which the Spanish authorities 
had seized and condemned as a slaver. When 
we arrived at Santa Cruz, and came to anchor, 
— through the exertions of the American Con- 
sul, and the Commodore, the matter was ad- 
justed, and the men and brig were liberated. 
The brig had been illegally condemned, and 
when they saw a line of battle-ship in their har- 
bor, which could easily destroy their town in a 
few moments, they thought it policy to relin- 
quish their prize. 

We found among the brig's crew John Mc- 
Guire, who ran away from the Ohio while lying 



106 LIFE OF AN 

at New York, who gave himself up to the Cap- 
tain, after suffering one hundred days imprison- 
ment on shore. He was carried on board and 
confined in double irons, and then received a 
dozen with the cat-o'nine-tails on the bare back. 
If Captain Smith, instead of confining him in 
irons and giving him one dozen with the cats, 
had let him off without any punishment, it 
would have been more to his credit, for surely 
the man had suffered enough by imprisonment, 
and losing his wages, without any further pun- 
ishment. I will here give a description of the 
scene of punishment — by flogging — on board the 
ship : Just forward of the larboard gangway, 
in the upper hammock-netting-rail, are two 
staples, through each of which is drawn a large 
cord ; immediately under this is placed a grating 
through which are drawn two cords or lashings. 
The order is then given to the boatswain to pipe 
all hands, to witness punishment. The crew are 
then ordered forward of the mainmast, the offi- 
cers to the quarter-deck, the marines with their 
pieces loaded, just abaft of the mainmast. 



ex-man-of-war's-man. 107 

There is a quartermaster stationed on each side 
of the grating, the boatswain's mate with his 
cat-o'nine-tails stands a little abaft the grating. 
After all these preparations have been made, 
the prisoner is then brought forward by the 
master-at-arms, assisted by the corporal of ma- 
rines, and is ordered to step upon the grating, 
where his feet are lashed down ; he is then strip- 
ped naked above his waist, his arms are spread 
out, his hands are tied to the cords spoken of, in 
the hammock-netting, which places him in an 
upright position ; the quartermaster then steps 
aside, and the boatswain's mate steps up with 
his cat-o'nine-tails. The cat-o'nine- tails is made 
of cords about two feet long, nine in number ; 
they are about the size of a common pipe-stem, 
and are the stiifest kind of cords ; these are 
whipped at one end, the other end being attach- 
ed to a handle about eighteen inches long. Af- 
ter the boatswain's mate has drawn the cords 
through his fingers, to straighten them out, the 
Captain tells him to proceed, which he does by 
striking the man with all his might upon the 



108 LIFE OF AN 

bare back — every blow drawing blood. - McGiiire 
received one dozen, which is the same as 108 
lashes, applied with one strand. He was then 
told by the Captain to go to his duty, and was 
accordingly cast loose by the quartermaster. He 
was a good sailor, young and active, and well 
acquainted with his duty. 

On the 27th, we weighed anchor and made 
sail. On the 1st and 2d of November we had a 
heavy storm, furled in all our sails, and run 
down our yards. November 4th, again came to 
anchor at the iK)ck of Gibraltar, and fired a sa- 
lute of 21 guns. On the 8th, in the afternoon, 
commenced a severe storm which lasted for three 
days. On the 23d, unmoored ship, and made 
sail ; we passed a Genoese frigate and saluted 
them with 13 guns. On the 27th, we arrived in 
the harbor of Mahon. Had hardly got moored, 
when the United States Frigate Brandy wine 
came into the harbor in fine style. Her band 
struck up " Home, Sweet Home," which that of 
the Ohio soon followed with " Hail Columbia." 
After the Brandywine had come to anchor, she 
saluted the Commodore with thirteen guns, 
which were returned by the Ohio. 



November 30th, we fired twenty-one guns in 
honor of Commodore Paterson, who died while 
in the discharge of his duty, in Brooklyn Navy 
Yard, full of honors and full of years, honored and 
admired by the nation for his deeds of patriot- 
ism and virtue. The weather continued through 
December and January most delightful. The 
thermometer generally stood at about sixty-five 
or seventy degrees on the spar-deck, about sum- 
mer heat, in the dead of winter. In one of my 
visits on shore, I broke my liberty and remained, 
with thirty of my shipmates, ten days longer 
than we had permission. This was in the month 
of January, 1840. After returning on board we 
were all confined in double irons. The next 
morning all, with the exception of myself, were 
taken out and received one dozen with the cat- 
o'nine-tails, but I was kept in irons ten days, 
after which I returned to my duty. On the 16th 



110 LIFE OF AN 

of February a seaman, belonging to the Brandy- 
wine, was tried on board the Ohio, for striking 
the ship's corporal. He received one hundred 
lashes, fifty on board our ship, and fifty on 
board the Brandywine, — one hundred lashes for 
a trifling ofience. February 22d, — Washing- 
ton's birthday, — fine and pleasant ; all the 
shipping in the harbor hoisted the American flag, 
— the stars and stripes, a glorious emblem of the 
hero's patriotism, waved at their mast-heads. 
At the Navy Yard, and at the American Con- 
sul's house at Mahon, all displayed the same 
glorious banner. As the clock struck eight, we 
fired a national salute of thirteen guns, and 
the Brandywine fired a like number. A French 
sloop of war joined her echo in the same great 
jubilee. The beach was soon lined with people. 
The Commodore gave a bait to the officers of the 
squadron. Monday, March 2d, the ninth and 
tenth divisions were confined in the brig, for 
cheering the American Consul, when on shore. 
The Captain of the Brandywine supposed they 
were cheering the Brandywine, or some insult 



ex-man-of-war's-man. Ill 

was intended, and the Commodore was informed 
of the matter, and he gave orders to have them 
confined. The officers, however, soon got the 
correct version of the whole transaction. They 
had been cheering the American Consul, the 
accredited representative of our nation. The 
Consul expressed himself highly pleased with 
their cheering him, and the men were liberated 
from their confinement. A theater was got up 
on board the Ohio in the month of February and 
March, by myself and a few of my shipmates, 
which reflected considerable praise on the most 
prominent actor. The funds were raised by sub- 
scription among the meJ^ for the purpose of de- 
fraying the expenses. The liberal sum of 
$700,00 was raised. The scenery was raised as 
by enchantment, and handsomely painted. The 
scenery was erected on the quarter-deck, which 
was covered with canvas. The whole arrange- 
ment was well conducted, and the various per- 
formances passed off with general acclamation. 
We were honored by the attendance of the 
American and French consuls, with their fami- 



112 LIFE OF AN 

lies, and a large number of the citizens of Ma- 
hon and Georgetown. 

March 10th, the store-ship Drome arrived with 
provisions for the squadron. I will here givT?. 
the bill of fare on board the Ohio : Mondays, 
stewed beans and pork ; Tuesdays, salt beef and 
cheese ; Wednesdays, boiled rice and pork ; 
Thursdays, salt beef and duff— the duff is made 
of flour, with raisins, sweetened and boiled ; 
Fridays, rice, butter, cheese, molasses, and vine- 
gar ; Saturdays, stewed beans and pork ; Sun- 
days, salt beef and duff, with bread at all times 
sufficient for use. I will here state that all our 
small stores, such as te^ sugar, mustard, pepper, 
and all other small articles, were paid for out of 
our wages. On the 19th, the Cyane sailed into 
the harbor in fine style. She brought several 
packages and letters for the men on board the 
Ohio. This was the first time that all the squad- 
ron had met together since we sailed from the 
United States, making in all a battery of 194 
guns, the smallest of which wei-e thirty-two 
pounders. On the 21st of March, stormy and 



EX-MAN-OF-WAIl'S-MAN. 113 

heavy winds ; Sunday, the weather cold and 
stormy. George Shurtleff, a seaman doing boat- 
swain's yeoman's duty, in attempting to swim 
from the shore to the ship was drowned. The 
, Cyane's boat crew first discovered him, and his 
remains were taken on board by the Curricle's 
boat crew. He was a young man of good talents 
and respectable connections. His remains were 
conveyed to the burial ground at Mahon. The 

next day Lieutenant G was ordered on 

board the Cyane, to the no small gratification of 
the ship's company, and rumor said on account 
of having grossly slandered the character of 
Commodore Hull, whi4e attending a dinner- 
party, on board the English flag ship, when lying 
in the harbor of Lisbon. The English officers told 

G he was no gentleman, in slandering the 

character of an absent and distinguished officer : 
that they were well acquainted with him, and 
had been for years, and knew him to be a man 
of honor and patriotism. His sinking the 
Guerriere, preserving his own gallant ship when 
surrounded by the whole English fleet ; his long 



114 LIFE OF AN 

and faithful services to his country, when the 
patriotism of her defenders was put to a severe 
trial, — all these deeds of glory and honor, seem- 
ed to have no effect to soften the bitter malice 
and impotent hatred of this G , w^hose ser- 
vices, in comparison to the Commodore's, were 
like comparing a demon of darkness to an angel 
of light. April 2d, the Cyane sailed for Toulon. 
On the 14th, an English frigate sailed into the 
harbor. The Ohio gave them a salute, which 
was answered from the frigate. Abundant are 
the materials for sketching the character and 
services of Captain Smith, our commanding 
officer. But in so many different lights has his 
public course been viewed, that it would be 
almost impossible to draw a correct delineation 
of his character. While his friends claim for his 
character almost a model of perfection, around 
which are clustered all the great qualities which 
constitute an able, spirited and fearless com- 
mander, at the same time a considerable portion 
of the ship's company would depict it in totally 
different colors. They would hold him up in the 



ex-man-of-war's-man. 115 

light of a cruel, unmerciful, and heartless tyrant, 
and as a commander destitute of every manly 
and ennobling sentiment. These feelings em- 
anated — in many cases unjustly — from the 
.bosom of those who had been flogged under his 
orders, in accordance with the law, perhaps in 
some cases unjustly, and where he had exceeded 
in punishment, the plain requirements of the 
law. In the commencement of 1829 he had the 
command of the frigate Guerriere, on a three 
years cruise around the Horn. In his personal 
appearance he had nothing to distinguish him as 
an officer of high qualities, with the exception 
of a bright and penetrating eye. He was near- 
ly six feet high, and of middling stature. His 
long and protracted sickness, occasioned by a 
shot received on Lake Erie, while serving under 
Commodore Perry, and which had never been 
extracted from his neck, had the effect to render 
his countenance both pale and sickly. When he 
first took command of the Ohio he appeared to 
commence on a rigid system of reform, to break 
up at once all the vices and crimes which were 



116 LIFE OF AN 

committed on board the ship, — which, as would be 
naturally supposed, were numerous among near- 
ly 1000 men. With this determination fixed in 
his mind, he declared himself a terror to evil 
doers. He was too severe in carrying out his 
policy, and he in a measure failed, either to im- 
prove the character of his men, or to win the 
confidence and respect of the ship's company ; 
for the same men that he commenced by flog- 
ging, for getting intoxicated, were nearly all in 
the brig, for the same offence, when he left the 
ship. He professed himself the seaman's friend, 
and in many instances carried his profession in- 
to practice. J. G. Pendergrast was the first 
lieutenant, and the most active ofiicer on board 
the Ohio. He carried the orders of the Captain 
into effect, and in case of his indisposition he 
not only formed the plans, but carried them 
into efficient operation. The whole routine of 
duty in every portion of the ship, was continu- 
ally under his vigilant eye and inspection. He 
took the trumpet when all hands were called, 
lowering, furling, unfurling or shortening sails, in 



ex-man-of-wak's-man. 117 

mooring or unmooring ship, and at general quar- 
ters. He was always firm, intrepid, fearless and 
honorable, and no officer ever enjoyed more of the 
confidence and esteem of every man on board the 
ship ; nor was that respect confined to a few who 
had perhaps received some sijpecial favor at his 
hands, but it was universal. All portions of the 
ship's company vied with each other in demon- 
strations of attachment towards him ; no man 
shrank from a cheerful and active performance 
of his duty in the worst times ; never repined 
at punishment, when inflicted under his orders, 
because he felt it,, to be an act of justice or law, 
or he never would have inflicted it upon him. 
To his honor and praise be it said, few instances 
of cruelty can be laid to his charge. He gen- 
erally leaned on the side of justice. For his 
personal appearance, nature had been lavish of 
her choicest gifts. He had a fine, noble and 
commanding figure j bright, intelligent eye, 
high forehead, and a fine countenance. On be- 
holding him you would be struck with admira- 
tion, and on one occasion when some of the most 



118 LIFE OF AN 

distinguished officers in Europe were on board, 
asi! stood gazing on his fine and manly figure, 
I could not but exclaim, " There never was so 
fine a looking ^an on board the ship." On see- 
ing him you would be drawn to the irresistible 
conclusion, that h^was an officer of extraordina- 
ry merit, and one of the brightest ornaments of 
the American Navy. 



The store-ship Dromo was chartered to carry ' 
to the United States Captain S,mith, Lieutenant 
Pendergrast, and all the sick belonging to the 
squadron, which were not likely to recover. 
April 10th, Captain Smith and Lieutenant Pen- 
dergrast laid down their scepters of power. At ten 
o'clock, Smith moved slowly over the quarter- 
deck, and appeared to be much affected. In at- 
tempting to speak he was unsuccessful, and tears 
ran freely from his eyes. The ship's company, 
stationed in the rigging, gave him three cheers, 
when he passed over her side into his boat, which 
took him on board the Dromo. Soon after, Mr. 
Pendergrast made his appearance. How chang- 
ed the scene ! he had the petty officers called, 
when he gave each a hearty shake of the hand, 
and paying his respects to the ship's company, 
by waving his cap, passed through the gang- 
way. Immediately a hearty cheering, coming 



120 LIFE OF AN 

from the heart, — and many a tear trickled 
down the cheek of many a gallant tar, — a hearty 
cheering, which drowned in oblivion the feeble 
cheerings given Captain Smith a few minutes 
before. I would also state, that Lieutenants 
Dupont and Misi;oon left for the United States 
in the Dromo. On the 14th, the Dromo got 
under way. The Brandywine and her boat's 
crew towed her out of the harbor. She passed 
directly under the Ohio's bows, and their band 
struck .up "Auld lang syne." The wind was 
air, and she was soon out of the harbor. A 
splendid dinner was given to Lieutenants Pen- 
dergrast, Dupont and Misroon, by the messmates 
previous to their sailing. 

Sunday, April 19 th, all hands were called to 
unmoor ship. After lying nearly five months in 
the harbor, this thrilling sound appeared to 
inspire energy and promptness in the ship's com- 
pany ; their alacrity manifested in weighing 
anchor and making sail, was worthy of all praise, 
which was frequently bestowed upon them. 
During the time we were lying in the harbor of 



ex-man-of-war's-man. 121 

Mahon^ our duties were mingled with many amuse- 
ments. The weather continued pleasant, with the 
exception of a hard shower on Monday. On the 
23d, we spoke a Neapolitan brig ; the 24th, we 
passed the island of Corsica, celebrated as being 
the birthplace of Napoleon Bonaparte, one of the 
most distinguished generals and emperors which 
adorn the page of history, and whose brilliant 
victories, and enlarged and comprehensive policy 
shed a ray of glory around the standard of 
France. The strongest trembled at his immense 
power, or envied his boundless popularity who 
dethroned and established kings and princes, and 
who stands out as one of the greatest generals 
recorded in history. On the 25th, we passed the 
island of 'Elba, which is no less distinguished as 
being the island on which he was a short time 
confined, after his disastrous Russian campaign, 
and the revulsions of fortune growing out of 
that great but fatal enterprise. How great a 
moral these islands call to mind, and how sin- 
gular are the vicissitudes of fortune — one day a 
monarch on the throne of Europe, another an 



122 LIFE OF AN 

exile on an obscure island in the Mediterranean. 
We sailed very near the. shore. The range of 
the Apennines, which lay in view, whose tow- 
ering heights were covered with snow ; a large 
number of vessels, in every direction, crowded 
with canvas, and laden with the commerce of 
nations, with large schools of porpoises in sight, 
rendered the day most interesting. On the 
26th, we came to anchor in the beautiful harbor 
of Espesia. South of the harbor along the coast 
are high rocks, which present a desolate and 
dreary appearance — distance from Mahon 400 
miles. The scenery of Espesia is very romantic, 
— its high and mountainous aspect, the placid 
waters of its beautiful harbor ; its extensive for- 
ests of various kinds of trees, and its small 
clustering villages, handsomely built, and neat 
in their appearance, all conspire to render it a 
pleasant summer retreat, and hundreds of the 
nobility of Italy, and other sections of Europe, 
were at that time enjoying themselves in this 
rural retreat. You may see in Espesia the grieat 
improvement which cultivation and labor can 



ex-man-of-war's-man. 123 

effect in the condition of the soil, and the habits 
of the people. Its soil is rough and moutain- 
ous, yet it is in a high state of cultivation, even 
to the mountain tops, and the olive and the vine 
yield a rich harvest. There are numerous groves 
of orange, lemon and pomegranate trees, which 
are handsomely arranged, and greatly enhance 
the beauty of the scenery. The fort is situated 
south of the harbor, and is built of hewn granite, 
and must have been very formidable, when first 
erected, but was then falling to decay. The 
summer residence of the Governor is grand and 
beautiful. The inhabitants are honest and In- 
dustrious, and in comfortable circumstances. 
There are several Catholic churches in Espesia. 
The priests are quite numerous, and I one day 
discovered in one of them an old shopmate. I 
inquired of him if he had forsworn his country, 
and the Protestant religion ; he replied he had 
not, but that he found his present occupation 
more lucrative than the carpenters' business, 
which he had followed in New York. They re- 
ceive a regular salary, in many cases out of the 



124 LIFE OF AN 

produce of the soil, as a certain part is allotted 
them by law, which in a measure impoverishes 
the husbandman, and often by extortion and 
avarice they gain splendid fortunes. An English 
Post Captain, traveling with his family for 
pleasure, came on board our ship, in the fourth 
cutter, and gave the coxswain ^ve dollars, who 
generously divided it with the cutter's crew. He 
was a fine looking officer ; said that the Ohio 
was the handsomest and best modeled ship he 
had ever seen, — a fine compliment, coming as it 
did from an old English officer. A ball was 
given on the quarter-deck, on Sunday, by several 
of our officers. There were a number of gentle- 
men and ladies present from Espesia. There 
was music, revelry and dancing on a day on 
wliicli the laws of Congress say divine service 
shall be performed in a devout and orderly man- 
ner. All laws relative to flogging were always 
enforced, but any law abridging their own pleas- 
ures, and excesses^ was treated with contempt. 
Several officers came on board the Ohio, belong- 
ing to the army and navy of Sardinia. Wo 



ex-man-of-war's-man. 125 

gave them a salute of nine guns when they left 
the ship. A gentleman and his wife came 
seventy miles from the country to see the Ohio. 
May 4th, a signal-gun was fired. All hands 
\ were called to get in boats and unmoor ship. 
We got in our boats and weighed our anchor, 
but the wind being unfavorable, all hands were 
piped down. Wednesday the 6th, the wind was 
fair, — we unmoored ship and got und§r way. 
Thursday, we tacked and trimmed ship several 
times. Friday, the 8th, sailed near the shore aud 
saw several handsome villages. In the afternoon 
we arrived in the harbor of Genoa, a distance of 
fifty miles from Espesia, and came to anchor a 
few hundred fathoms from the city. There are 
four excellent light-houses in Genoa, built of 
hewn granite, and one of polished marble, at the 
entrance of the mole. The one near the battery 
was built on a high rock, and is one of the most 
splendid in the world. The others are hand- 
somely built and finely situated. A perfectly 
safe and commodious harbor for vessels of the 
largest class lies within her mole, which is made 



126 LIFE OF AN 

of granite at great labor and cost. On the after- 
noon of May 11th, the Governor and his suite 
visited the Ohio. The Governor, by his splendid 
military equipage, could easily be observed 
among the numerous retinue. He was tall, well 
formed, and his bearing was quite majestic. The 
staff of the army, in their brilliant uniforms, 
with their fine and martial appearance, elicited 
general /idmiration. After examining the ship 
in all its parts, they left, and were saluted with 
twenty-one guns from the Ohio, which was 
answered from the battery. There is a large 
body of military stationed in this city, for its 
protection. They are a firm and strong body of 
men, well equipped, and perfectly disciplined. 
Friday, the 15th, the Admiral of the Sardinian 
fleet, and a large number of ofiicers, visited the 
Ohio.. Our ship was thronged with company, 
from the highest civil and military ofiicers, 
decked in their glittering equipage, down to 
the humblest citizens. 



oh:^:pte:e^ xi-vi. 

The great city of Genoa is famed for its splen- 
did sculpturej painting, and architecture, the 
beauty of its scenery, the intelligence and indus- 
try of its inhabitants, and its great commercial 
prosperity. The harbor was filled wi^h ships 
from almost every nation on the globe, each 
bearing at its mast-head its own national flag. 
In this city were several large manufactur- 
ing establishments in active operation. There 
were several fine markets. The buildings are 
built in a costly and elegant style, many of them 
five or six stories in height ; and ^fcr glare 
and ornament, but few cities in Europe are its 
equal. The statue of Columbus is built of pure 
white marble, by one of their most celebrated 
sculptors, and is situated in a small enclosure, 
by the seaside, covered with grass, and hand- 
somely ornamented with trees. This noble 
statue was raised and erected by the generous 



128 LIFE OF AN 

liberality of the citizens of Genoa, to perpetuate 
his memory. But the fame of this extraordinary 
man needs not the aid of the pencil of the 
painter, the chisel of the sculptor, or the pen of 
the historian. His great discovery of the West- 
ern world, after urgent entreaties with the 
crowned heads of Europe for assistance ; his 
zealous and untiring efforts, amidst dangers, 
poverty ^and mutiny, are still fresh in public 
gratitude, and will serve to blazon his name for 
countless ages to come. 

Tuesday, the 19th, all hands were called to 
unmoor ship and make sail. Thousands of peo- 
ple were upon the battery, to see us get under 
way, and to take a view of the Ohio., as . she 
sailed ii^ proud majesty out of the harbor. 
Wednesday, the 20th, the wind fresh, we had a 
heavy shower. All hands were called to reef 
top-sails. On Thursday, we spoke a Neapolitan 
brig. We sailed near the land and saw several 
handsome villages. The 22d, stormy with heavy 
squalls ; all hands were called to run down top- 
galiant-yards, and reef top-sails. On the 23d, 



ex-man-of-war's-man. 129 

we fired a gun for a pilot, and came to anchor 
in the harbor of Toulon, at eight o'clock in the 
morning — distance from Genoa, 150 miles. On 
the 25th, at eleven o'clock, we run up the French ^ 
flag at our mast-head, and fired a salute of 
twenty-one guns. May 27th, we watered ship 
from a lighter, which contained eighty tons of 
water, and filled her up. On the 29th, the Ad- 
miral visited the Ohio. He was a firm, stoutly 
built man, about fifty-five years of age, and was 
a fine and robust looking officer, who bore a 
reputation worthy of his commanding station. 
As he left the ship, we gave him a salute of 
fifteen guns, which was answered from his ship, 
me Ocean, a French three-decker, carrying 160 
guns, then lying in the harbor. The French 
fleet, lying in the harbor of Toulon at this 
time, consisted of the Ocean before mentioned, 
four line-of-battle-ships, six frigates, five steam- 
frigates, three sloops of war, one brig, and two 
schooners. The Ohio's crew exercised sails at 
the same time they did on board the French 
fleet, and always excelled by several minutes, 



130 LIFE OF AN 

both in furling and unfurling sails, which created 
considerable excitement on board all the men-of 
war in the harbor. Toulon is handsomely built 
.of stone, brick and marble. The Hospital and 
Catholic Chapel attached to the same are beau- 
tiful and commodious buildin<^s. There are sev- 
eral acres of fine rich land, inclosed by a wall, 
which surrounds these valuable buildings. The 
whole city wears a warlike aspect ; the scenery, 
however, is fine. To the south, as far as the eye 
can discern, is land highly cultivated, and cover- 
ed with neat and handsome cottages. It is 
noted for its numerous and splendid public works, 
its docks, dry-docks, rope-yards, founderies, and 
its fine and extensive navy-yards. 

June 4th, all hands were called to up anchor 
and make sail. A fresh breeze springing up, we 
were soon clear of the harbor. On Monday we 
passed the island of Sardinia, and caught a large 
turtle. On the 11th, we arrived at Palermo, 
the weather being very pleasant, — distance from 
Toulon, 468 miles. On the 16th, the Ohio's 
theatrical actors performed a tragedy and com- 



ex-man-of-war's-man. 131 

edyon board, commencing at seven o'clock in the 
evening and closing at twelve. The scenery was 
new and very appropriate. The gallant conflict 
of the Constitution and Gnerriere was well rep- , 
resented on the drop-curtain. The dresses of 
the actors were all new, and the plays were well 
performed. The American Consul, in his court 
dress ; his family, several officers of distinction, 
the Consuls of England, France and Austria, 
with their families, were present and expressed 
their gratification in high terms of praise. Im- 
mediately after the performance, a ball was held, 
which ended at two o'clock. Palermo, the capi- 
tal of Sicily, is a large and flourishing commer- 
cial city. The houses were well built of marble 
and stone, and the streets were wide and well 
paved. Although the country is low, the scenery 
is pleasing. The deep tones of the olive, min- 
gled with the foliage of a lighter tint, and the 
golden hue of the orange and lemon, all render- 
ed the scenery charming and delightful. A short 
distance from the city, the hills rise to consider- 
able height, and the exact likeness is plainly to 



132 LIFE OF AN % 

be seen at the very suiniiiit, cut hy nature in the 
solid rock. The national burying ground is one 
of the grandest and sublimest sights in the city. 
It is made of the finest quality of red marble, 
which is highly polished. It is wholly under- 
ground, and is several hundred feet long, pro- 
tected by a splendid covering of strong, thick glass. 
It is kept perfectly clean, and is daily visited by 
hundreds of strangers. We were shown several 
who, it was said, had been dead over 200 years, 
and were then in a state of preservation. The 
whole was calculated to excite feelings of melan- 
choly. Our ship was continually thronged by 
all classes of people — the wealthy and fashiona- 
ble, and the poor in rags. The sons of noble- 
men, who were at college in Palermo, not more 
than ten years of age, were dressed in a military 
uniform. You would suppose, as they were 
walking in martial step over the deck, that they 
were an army in miniature. 

On the 19th of June, all hands were called to 
get under way and make sail. Thursday, the 
wind blew fresh, all hands were called at eleven 



ex-man-of-war's-man. 133 

o^clock to reef top-sails. On the 29tli, we ar- 
rived in the harbor of Espesia and came to single 
anchor. We had considerable company on 
board, while we remained in port — the weather 
mild and pleasant. July 4th was honored by a 
national salute of twenty-one guns, in honor of 
the 64th anniversary of our independence. A 
good sea-pie was cooked in the coppers, for nearly 
800 men. Extra grog was also served out to 
the ship's company. I will here state, that 
every man draws a half pint of rye-whiskey ; and 
those who do not wish to draw it, are allowed six 
cents per day in lieu of the grog. 

July 5th, all hands were called to up anchor 
and make sail. Scarcely any wind, tacked ship 
several times. On the 8th, stormy, and heavy 
winds ; all hands called to reef top-sails ; took in 
royals and flying-jib. On the 10th, exercised 
main-deck guns. On the 11th, wind fair ; a 
pilot came on board ; sailed into the harbor of 
Mahon under full sail. July 13th, the Governor 
came on board. He* was represented as a civil 
magistrate of honor and integrity. He was 
honored with a salute of thirteen guns as he left 
the Ohio. 



On the 14th, six men were tried by court 
martial on board the Brandywine, for mutiny. 
Three of them received sixty lashes on board the 
Ohio. Two of the others received twenty on 
board the Brandywine, twenty on board the" 
Cyane, and twenty on board the Ohio. James 
Brown was sentenced to receive the same num- 
ber of lashes as the others, but his sentence was 
remitted by order of the Commodore, who had 
the power invested in him by law to sanction 
and approve, or to condemn the proceedings of 
a court martial; and in pardoning Brown, he 
fulfilled the reasonable expectations of the whole 
ship's company. Brown was an old seaman, 
who had sailed under our flag for nearly twenty 
years. He inherited the virtues, as well as the 
vices of a seaman. Like many he loved to get 
drunk, and he was in this situation when chara- 
ed with mutiny and riotous proceedings. It 



136 LIFE OF AN 

would be hard to believe the men intended any- 
mutinous designs, from their general good char- 
acter, as they had been long attached to the 
ship. They received their punishment like men. 
On the 20th, the store-ship Kambler arrived at 
Mahon from the United States, with stores for 
the squadron. Her cargo consisted of beef, pork, 
butter, cheese and clothing. She also brought 
several large packages of papers and letters for 
the Ohio's crew. She was thirty-five days on 
her passage out, and was bound to Palermo on a 
trading expedition. On the 27th, Captain Lav- 
allette arrived in a French steam-frigate from 
Marseilles. The vessel was put in quarantine, 
and he was obliged to remain on board of her 
until the first of August, at which time her 
quarantine expired. On the 30th, Commodore 
Chauncey died. We fired twenty-one minute 
guns at noon. The Brandywine fired the same 
number, as a mark of respect. The ofiicers also 
wore crape on the left arm for thirty days. He 
was an able, fearless, and undaunted ofiicer, 
whose memory is enshrined in the affections of 



ex-man-of-war's-man. 137 

his countrymen. Long raay his gallant services 
be cherished by his brother officers, and may they 
learn from his example that true fame and 
glory consist in a pure devotion to the principles 
of honor, humanity and justice. On the 2d of 
August, Captain Lavallette came on board the 
Ohio. His first appearance made a favorable 
impression on the ship's company. His orders 
to join the Ohio were read by the first Lieuten- 
ant, Mr. Mercer, after which Commodore Hull 
made a few remarks suitable to the occasion. 
Captain Lavallette replied that the ship and 
ship's company bore a high reputation in the 
States. It was said, and said truly, that more 
flogging was inflicted in one morning when 
Capt. Smith had command, than all the flogging 
put together while Commodore Hull and Lieu- 
tenant Mercer had command. We were at sea 
most of the time, and this may account in a de- 
gree for the difierence. The boatswain's shrill 
call was not sounded every morning, nor were 
our ears struck with horror by the cries and 
pleadings of the men for mercy ; but peace, order 



138 LIFE OF AN 

and harmony prevailed throughout the ship, 
while Commodore Hull and Lieutenant Mercer 
had the command. August 3d, in the morning, 
all hands were called to unmoor ship ; and' after 
]ying to until night, were again called to make 
sail. On the 11th, we passed the island of Mal- 
ta ; the 12th, spoke an Austrian brig and passed 
several Greek islands. On the 14th, passed Corfu ; 
the 16th, spoke a Spanish brig ; 17th, stormy, 
with high winds. We took on board a pilot from 
Trieste, who had sailed several hundred miles in 
an open boat, to pilot us through the Gulf of 
Venice. He supplied his men who remained in 
the boat, with provisions to last them until they 
arrived back at Trieste. Wednesday, the 19th, 
extra grog was served out to the ship's company, 
it being the anniversary of the victory and gal- 
lant achievement of our Commodore, who gath- 
ered unfading honors for himself, and glory for 
his country, in sinking the Guerriere ; and it 
was hoped he might long live to enjoy the grati- 
tude of a free people. On the 22d, we arrived 
in the harbor of Trieste and came to anchor, 



ex-man-of-wah's-man. 139 

having been twenty days on the passage, — dis- 
tance from Mahon, 1630 miles. We fired a 
salute of twenty-one guns. The 23d, a large 
number of people came on board the Ohio. 
Our chaplain exchanged with one of the same 
persuasion in the city. The American Consul 
and family, several gentlemen and ladies, five 
American Captains of vessels in the harbor, and 
several crews were on board, and listened to an 
eloquent discourse. The 29th, the Governor, a 
numerous retinue of aids, ladies, and servants 
in costly liveries, visited the Ohio. The Gov- 
ernor was a fine looking man, and brilliantly 
equipped. The aids wore the appearance of a 
brave and daring set of officers. After partak- 
ing refreshments with the Commodore, he exam- 
ined the ship, of which he spoke in high terms 
of praise. We gave him a salute of twenty-one 
guns, which was answered from the battery. 
The 30th, the American barque Leopard, fifty- 
five days from Boston, came to anchor in the 
harbor. On the 6th of September, the Ameri- 
can Consul and family, several American and 



140 LIFE OF AN 

English gentlemen, the Captains of the Amer- 
ican shipping in the harbor, and several Austrian 
officers, in full dress uniform, visited the Ohio 
and made a fine appearance. All attended di- 
vine service. The 7th, several Austrian officers 
from Vienna visited the Ohio, for the purpose 
of taking her model, as the Emperor of Austria 
had ordered a ship to be made as like her as pos- 
sible. Tuesday, 8th, the Governor's band at- 
tached to the 22d regiment, stationed in Trieste, 
visited the Ohio a few minutes after dinner, and 
made an imposing appearance. Wednesday, 
9th, a splendid ball was held on board the Ohio. 
The quarter-deck was handsomely fitted up with 
flags of different nations. At eight o'clock, 
the band struck up " Hail Columbia." At one, 
the ball closed. We then burned blue lights, 
and fired off several rockets. Our arrival in the 
harbor of Trieste was immediately announced 
by the Austrian press, in all parts of these ex- 
tensive territories. Thousands flocked from 
their mountains, valleys, and cities, a distance 
of several hundred miles, to see the^ioblest ship 



ex-man-of-war's-man. 141 

that ever floated upon the great deep. The 
Austrian, Greek, Bavarian, Hanoverian, Pole, 
Swede, Italian, Armenian, and Turk, all could 
be seen in their national dress, crowding our 
decks, and the confusion at the Tower of Babel 
could not have produced more discordant sounds. 



Trieste was a flourishing and wealthy city, 
containing an industrious, frugal, and enterpris- 
ing population of over 66,000 inhabitants, and 
no city in Europe was more celebrated for the 
industry, skill and genius of its mechanics, enter- 
prise of its merchants, and for its institutions of 
learning. The city was handsomely situated and 
built on a high eminence, at the head of the 
gulf of Venice. There were a number of fine 
markets, and she enjoyed a flourishing commerce ; 
also numerous schools, for the education of the 
young in all branches of literature. Many of her 
local institutions, her scenery, the habits and 
manners of her people, resemble those of the 
United States. The harbor of Trieste is large, 
but shallow, and has a muddy bottom, and there 
are frequent storms, which render it unsafe 
anchorage for ships of a large size. 

Thursday, September 10th, all hands called 



144 ^ LIFE OF AN 

to unmoor ship and make sail. We got under 
way about eight o'clock. The 17th, we spoke 
the Glasgow, an English brig, ninety-four days 
from New Orleans. The 20th, a fair wind, we 
squared yards for the first time since we left 
Trieste. The 29th, rough head-winds ; the 
30th, a sail was discovered to the windward, 
which proved to be the barque Leopard. She 
was represented as being one of the fastest sail- 
ing ships afloat, and when around Cape Horn 
she had frequent trials, sailing with several fine 
ships, but always came off victorious, and her 
Captain, when in Trieste, made his boast that 
she never was beaten, and that there was not a 
ship in the Mediterranean that could outsail her. 
Immediately after discovering the Leopard, all 
hands were called to work ship. After keeping 
all hands working ship through the night and 
losing our main-top-gallant-yard, and bursting 
the top-sails, the beautiful spots of the Leopard 
were seen far to the leeward. The weather being 
rough and stormy,.the brave and daring Leopard 
found it was on the track of the Lion of the 



ex-man-of-war's-man. 145 

Mediterranean, and after fruitless efforts gave up 
to her noble antagonist. October 2d, we came 
to anchor in the bay of Volo. We got out 
boats and watered ship, and set up rigging. The 
7th, all hands were called to up anchor and 
make sail ; scarcely any wind. At night came 
to single anchor, near the island of Patmos, 
where St. John the divine wrote his celebrated 
letters concerning the seven churches of Asia. 
The 8 th, we again made sail, and in the after- 
noon of the same day arrived in the harbor of 
Smyrna, and came to anchor within a few hun- 
dred fathoms of the city. After coming to 
anchor and furling sails, we run up the Turkish 
flag at our mast-head, and fired a national salute 
of twenty-one guns, which was answered from 
the Turkish battery, by the same number. Dis- 
tance from Trieste 1118 miles. Saturday, the 
10th, the Bashaw, and American Consul, with a 
large train of military officers, and chief magis- 
trates, visited the Ohio from Smyrna. The 
Bashaw of Smyrna made a grand appearance. 
He was nearly six feet high, with a strong robust 



146 LIFE OF AN 

figure, keen, j)enetrating black eyes, dark hair, 
and in appearance about fifty-five years of age. 
His dress consisted of white .pantaloons, fine 
deep blue frock, beautifully ornamented with gold 
lace. On his breast he wore a splendid glittering 
diamond ornament ; a handsome sword by his 
side, suspended by a rich belt. His head was 
adorned with a fine red cap. His step was firm 
and majestic. He appeared highly interested 
with the handsome appearance of the ship, and 
the hale and hearty looks of the crew. After 
beating to quarters, tha whole retinue passed 
between two columns of men ; after which, the 
Bashaw requested to see one of the divisions 
exercise guns, which request was granted ; and 
after partaking refreshments wjth the Com- 
modore, he passed over the side and was saluted 
with seventeen guns. The compliment was 
answered by the same number of guns from the 
Turkish battery. Dress of the guards : red 
cloth cap, blue frock, with handsome polished 
buttons, blue trowsers, with a large red stripe. 
They wore a long saber, suspended by a gilt belt. 



ex-man-of-war's-man. 147 

They had a dark swarthy complexion^ black 
eyes and hair, and usually wore large mustaches, 
and were of middling stature. Sunday, the 
11th, the American missionary, stationed at 
Smyrna, performed divine service on board the 
Ohio, and delivered a good discourse. The 
American Consul and family, and several Cap- 
tains of American vessels were present. On the 
12th, a seaman, belonging to the barque Leop- 
ard, came on board the Ohio. After speaking 
with the officer of the deck, that officer sent the 
messenger boy to call Cajjj;. Lavallette. As soon 
as Capt. Lavallette ; arrived on deck, the hardy 
and weather-beaten sailor related his grievances. 
He and the rest of the crew had stopped work, 
on account of cruel treatment, but more partic- 
ularly because of poor and miserable provisions, 
which the Captain had served out to his men. 
The salt meat was nearly all they received, and 
that he represented as most miserable. After 
relatitg all the circumstances, the Captain told 
him to go on board his ship, and to tell the Cap- 
tain to give them better and sufficient provisions, 



148 LIFE OF AN 

and if he did not he would see the American 
Consul, and in case he persisted in giving his men 
unwholesome food or insufficient in quantity, 
he would take the ship from him and send her 
to the United States by a Lieutenant. Thus it 
is seen — and the observation is substantiated by 
every day experience — that the sailor who braves 
the tempest and the storm, who bears all kinds 
of injuries and insults, until forbearance ceases 
to be a virtue, — even then, if he resists the cru- 
elty of his oppressor, is thrown into prison, a 
stranger in a strange la»d, and suffers until his 
Captain has poured out the last vial of his wrath 
upon his head. On the 15th, a splendid Turkish 
steam frigate, from Constantinople, built by the 
celebrated American, Henry Eckford, came into 
the harbor in ^ne style. She brought informa- 
tion from the court of Syria, the confirmation of 
the destruction of Beyrout, by the English fleet, 
and the taking of several thousands of Egypt- 
ians, by the combined English and Au^rian 
armies. It was said great and deserved praise 
was given to the officers of the Cyane, for pre- 



ex-man-of-war's-man. 149 

serving the lives of several Consuls and Mission- 
aries, as she lay in the harbor of Beyrout during 
the scene of ruin and destruction. On the 
16th, the officers of the steam frigate, and the 
Austrian, Turkish, Eussian and American Min- 
isters, came on board the Ohio. After examining 
the ship, and as they left us, we gave the 
customary salute, which was answered from the 
battery. 



Smyrna is built at the foot of several small 
hills, and has a low and unpleasant situation, 
and the streets are muddy and narrow. Back of 
the city the country has a bold and mountainous 
appearance. The numerous groves of cedar and 
cypress trees have a pleasing effect in the scenery 
about Smyrna. The great castle, said to have 
been built for ages, attracts thousands to view 
its massive walls of granite, nearly in as perfect 
a state as when first laid. It has a bold, grand 
and antiquated appearance, and is situated on 
the most elevated height in Smyrna. This city 
has a large and flourishing commerce, exporting 
silks, shawls, carpeting, wine, &c., and importing 
the manufactured articles of several English es- 
tablishments, aild cotton, tobacco, &c., from the 
United States. There were quite a number of 
American ships lying in port at this time. A 
very large portion of her trade was carried on 



154 LIFE OF AN 

by the Jews. Her caravans, which frequently 
have in their train hundreds of camels and 
horses, loaded with the richest merchandise, des- 
tined for Persia and the different cities of Asia, 
attracted much of our attention, as it usually 
does that of most foreigners who visit this city. 
For several thousand years, the red banner of 
Mahomet has waved in triumph over the majes- 
tic temples, spires and domes of this city. Her 
numerous population consists of Turks, Greeks, 
Jews, and Armenians. Her markets are still 
famed, and her commerce more flourishing than 
at any other period, and her manufactures are 
much extolled. Several of her public buildings 
are magnificent. The houses of the English, 
American, French, Spanish, Austrian, Italian, 
Greek and Russian Consuls and ministers, all 
have their national flags waving through the 
day, which have a fine effect in awakening na- 
tional feeling and sympathy. The city was very 
healthy when we lay in the harbor. No plague 
had been there for sometime, and this dreadful 
scourge, which has swept thousands in its course. 



ex-man-of-war's-man. 155 

appeared to be stayed, as a more rigid system is 
employed in keeping the city free from all filtk 
and dirt, which will do much towards removing 
this dreadful and dangerous disease. While on 
shore at Smyrna, I visited the Christian Church. 
It is situated but a short distance from the Cas- 
tle. This church was founded by St. John the 
divine ; and in his letters concerning the Seven 
Churches of Asia, he says, " I know thy works 
and tribulation and poverty, but thou art rich." 
The crumbling walls of this once mighty edifice 
but partially remain. Thousands from all parts 
of Europe delight to see the remains of this 
church once dedicated to the living God, where, 
nearly 2000 years ago, thousands listened to the 
word of God. It is now a mass of ruins. On 
its walls are engraven the names of several dis- 
tinguished Americans. 

On the morning of Oct. 18th, all hands were 
called to up anchor and make sail. We had a 
fine breeze, and were soon out of sight of that 
proud Turkish city. The 19 th, heavy showers 
and windy ; we spoke an American brig bound 



156 LIFE OF AN 

for Smyrna. ' The 20th, continued stormy with 
a rough sea ; we took in our pilot at Milo, when 
we went up. We hove to, and fired a gun for a 
pilot-boat, but the weather was so rough no 
boat would venture out, so the pilot was obliged 
to remain on board. The weather continued 
stormy until the 26th, when it moderated and 
became pleasant. For three days we had calms. 
On the 29th, at eight o'clock in the evening, a 
fresh breeze sprang up. November 2d, we spoke 
a Kussian brig, and in the afternoon passed the 
island of Sardinia. The 5th, we had pleasant 
weather, and head- winds. The 6th, arrived in 
the harbor of Mahon. As we passed the Cyane, 
her band struck up " Hail Columbia." The 
7th, we moored ship, near the navy yard, — dis- 
tance from Smyrna, 1635 miles. The 12th, a 
Spanish frigate of twenty-eight guns sailed into 
the harbor, having on board 1000 soldiers for 
the defense of the island. On the same day a 
ridiculous affair took place between the midship- 
men belonging to the Ohio : A challenge for a 
duel was passed between them, which was 



ex-man-of-wak's-man. 157 

accepted ; the seconds were selected, and soon 
after dinner they had their boats called away, 
which landed them safely at Quarantine Island. 
The parties appeared elated at the thought of 
blood and glory, but upon handling the weapons 
of death they forgot their honor, in their own 
personal safety, as they had left a note for the 
Captain, notifying him of the intended duel. 
The Captain, after receiving the note, hurried 
to the scene of action, expecting probably to 
find it one of blood ; but he soon found it was 
a bloodless affair, neither wanting to fight, it was 
said, and so the foolish affair passed off. Nov. 
20th, our accomplished and highly respected 
first Lieutenant, J. G. Pendergrast, came on 
board the Ohio to resume his important duties. 
The men all crowded aft to see him, and anima- 
tion beamed on every countenance as soon as it 
was announced that he was on board, and, if 
orders had not been given against it, a sponta- 
neous cheering would have been given him. The 
28th, the English Consul and family, and sev- 
eral distinguished French and Spanish officers. 



158 LIFE OF AN 

came on board and attended divine service, and 
listened with admiration to an eloquent dis- 
course from the Chaplain. 



December 25th, Christmas Day. The ship's 
company had a fine dinner cooked in Mahon, in 
commemoration of this long observed day. Ex- 
tra grog was served out, and all appeared gay 
and cheerful. James Stearwell was tried by a 
Court Martial in February, which occupied sev- 
eral days. He was tried for using mutinous and 
seditious language, and was awarded by the 
court to receive eighty lashes and be discharged. 
The Commodore remitted thirty lashes on ac- 
count of his being a good seaman, and faithful 
in the performance of his duty, when sober. 
He considered the plea of drunkenness, set up 
by his counsel, as an aggravation of the offense. 
There could be no excuse in Stearwell for run- 
ning down the flag he sailed under, merely to 
gratify the dislike he bore towards a few officers. 
If he had used the same language under the 
flag of his own nation, he would have been hung 



160 LIFE OF AN 

at the yard-arm for his audacity and folly. 
Stearwell was an Englishman, and had formerly 
sailed in the British naval service. He was a 
good seaman, but was one of the hardest cus- 
tomers on board the Ohio. The 22d, being the 
anniversary of Washington's birthday, passed 
off with the customary salutes from the men-of- 
war in the harbor, and^the American flag waved 
at the mast-heads of the shipping through 
the day. March 6th, the United States sloop 
of war, Preble, joined our squadron. She 
was built in Charlestown Navy Yard, carried 
eighteen thirty-two-pound carronades, and was 
manned'by 140 men, and commanded by Cap- 
tain Voorhees. 

On the 14th, William Frill was tried by 
a Court Martial. The charges preferred against 
him were for desertion, taking French leave 
at the Navy Yard, and he was sentenced to 
receive fifty lashes on the bare back; but the 
Commodore, with his usual lenity, remitted ten 
lashes. Frill was a Goliath in size, and a Samp- 
son in strength. Immediately after his desertion, 



ex-man-of-war's-man. 161 

two midshipmen were ordered to Mahon to take 
him on board. They probabl}^ expected he 
would make no resistance^ clothed as they were 
in authority, but they were sadly mistaken. 
When attempting to take him he threw himself 
upon his reserved rights, and the young gentle- 
men in their dress regimentals, being foiled in 
their attempts, were obliged to return alone on 
board their ship. Then all the policemen in 
Mahon were rallied to the rescue, — " take him 
dead or alive," was their watchword ; and after 
parading through Kough Alley and Castle 
streets, in all the pride and authority of the 
guardians of the public peace, they found Frill 
in a public house in Castle St. The policemen 
were stimulated by the promise of a liberal re- 
ward if they succeeded in taking him, and war 
was at once declared. He for a long time nobly 
maintained the action, and victory was for some- 
time uncertain. At last the clubs wielded by 
the policemen, so severely wounded him that he 
was forced to surrender. He was then taken to 
the calaboose, where he remained until the fol- 



162 LIFE OF AN 

lowing day. The calaboose is a place of con- 
finement, and is the same as one of the county 
jails of the United States. When Frill was 
carried on board the Ohio he was unable to move 
a limb, so great had been his exertions in at- 
tempting to make his escape from the civil and 
military authorities. He was then confined in 
his cot in the sick bay for several days ; after 
which he was taken to the gangway and flogged, 
receiving forty lashes, and was again taken to 
the sick bay, being much exhausted and weak. 
Surely this man should have been in a good state 
of health when he was to receive his punishment, 
and they must have been deaf to the calls of 
humanity to have inflicted it upon him at 
that time. 

Wednesday, the 24th of March, the sound of 
war and preparation was ringing among the offi- 
cers and crew of the gallant squadron, as infor- 
mation had reached the Commodore, from several 
channels, of actual hostilities between the Uni- 
ted States and the British nation. In the after- 
noon a consultation was held on board the Ohio, 



ex-man-of-war's-man. 163 

in which the Commodore^ and Captains Laval- 
lette, Bolton, and Voorhees participated. Im- 
mediately the whole squadron was in active 
preparation, and rumors on board the ship and 
ashore were numerous, and the inhabitants of 
Mahon appeared very melancholy at the thought 
of the squadron leaving the harbor so soon. 
Orders were immedialely given for the squadron 
to be ready for sea. We got on board extra 
provisions, wood and water, rigging, spars, and 
the unfinished work of the mechanics, and paid 
in the chain-cables, and got in our boats. We 
took on board all the sick at the hospital, ex- 
cepting seven, who were in so feeble a state that 
it was impossible to move them. The 25th, a 
signal-gun, which was fired at twelve o'clock 
from the Preble and Brandywine, for pilots, soon 
broke the charm which held in suspense and 
anxiety the feelings of tlie ship's company. The 
shore from Georgetown to Mahon was im- 
mediately lined with people, and the Ohio was 
soon crowded with the citizens of Georgetown, 
Citidella and Mahon, paying their respects to 



164 LIFE OF AN 

their friends^and giving each a parting benedic- 
tion. At four o'clock a signal was made by the 
Commodore for the squadron to get under way. 
The Preble lay at single anchor, and was first 
under sail, making her way out of the harbor. 
She was followed by the Brandywine under full 
sail, making a bold effort to win the prize in 
taking the lead. The Ohio moved through the 
water, confident of her superiority. On Satur- 
day we had a fine breeze ; the Ohio then dashed 
triumphantly by both the Preble and Brandy- 
wine, and on Sunday morning was far to the 
windward of both of them. In the morning 
watch we spoke a Neapolitan barque, twenty- 
eight days from Boston, but did not receive any 
news of importance by her from the United 
States. On Monday, the Commodore examined 
the divisions, and the boarders and pikemen were 
called away ; the fighting-boat's crew, and the 
men and marines, with small arms, went through 
all the exercises, the same as in an actual en- 
gagement ; after which the Commodore, in 
conversation with the ofiicers, used the emphatic 



ex-man-of-war'>s-man. 165 

language^ — words which should be written in 
letters of gold, and pictures of silver, — " One of 
three things we must do in case of war : we 
either must conquer the enemy ; if overpowered, 
make our escape if possible, or sink by their side/' 
The Commodore then turned and addressed the 
men ; he said that he had been in several en- 
gagements, but never was conquered. The 
answer from the men was, that he never should 
l;e conquered while there was a spar standing, 
or men enough left on board to fight a gun. 
He then turned to the officers, and, pointing to 
the large flag waving at onr mast-head in 
peculiar luster, said, " That flag shall never be 
struck to the enemy while I have command of 
a ship." 

Monday night, at twelve o'clock, a sail was 
discovered just to the windward of the Ohio, 
and as rumors had reached us that eight line-of- 
battle-ships had been ordered by the English, to 
intercept our passage, the drums immediately 
beat to quarters. The men of the starboard 
watch at the time were in their hammocks ; at 



166 " LIFE OF AN 

the first tap of the drum they sprang to the 
deck, lashed up and stowed their hammocks, put 
the grating over the hatches, cast loose their 
guns and run them out, lighted their matches, 
and double-shotted their guns, and the ship was 
hove to, in the space of eleven minutes ; but on 
speaking the sail before mentioned, she proved 
to be a Neapolitan line-of-battle-ship, instead of 
an English one, -as was suspected. This short 
time in preparing for action, may seem incredi- 
ble to some, but it even lacked a few seconds of 
the eleven minutes before stated. Tuesday, 
weather fine ; a number of sails in sight. 



April 1st, pleasant weather and dead calms. 
The Preble and Brandywine were on our star- 
board quarter. The Captain of the Preble came 
on board the Ohio. Forrest, sailing-master, was 
ordered on board the Preble, •and went in the 
fifth cutrer. On the fifth, there were strong 
head-winds, a number of sails were in sight. 
On the 6th, rough weather continued. At 
sunset the Commodore made a signal* to the 
Brandywine and Preble, for each to keep a blue 
light burning through the night, and to keep 
within signal distance. The commander of the 
Preble obeyed the order, but Captain Bolton the 
commander of the Brandywine, immediately af- 
ter night set in, escaped through the straits, and 
sailed for the United States, as was afterwards 
ascertained, and was subsequently tried by a 
Court Martial, for disobedience of orders, or 
cowardice, and, as I have since understood, was 



168 LIFE OF AN 

condemned, cashiered and suspended. Wednes- 
day, the 7th, we laid off Malaga, waiting for the 
Preble, which sailed into the harbor to gain in- 
telligence from the American Consul respecting 
the supposed difficulties between the United 
States and G-reat Britain. She brought inform- 
ation from the Consul, at noon, of the contin- 
ued peace and amicable relations between the 
two countries, and we immediately tacked ship, 
and headed our course for Mahon, aniPthe fine 
strain of music, "Home, Sweet Home " which 
we heard the evening before, was changed to the 
spirit-stirring sounds of "Hail Columbia." The 
whole ship's company appeared highly dissatis- 
fied, as they all had expected that they were 
bound home, for many of the men's term o^ 
service had e;cpired. The crew were so much 
excited that the Commodore felt it his duty to 
address them, to prevent evil consequences. The 
whole ship's company were called on the quarter- 
deck, when the Commodore spoke to them sev- 
eral minutes in a firm and convincing style, and 
said he had business to transact at Mahon and 



ex-man-of-war's-man. 169 

Toulon, and then pledged his word to them that 
he would sail for the United States in June or 
July. His remarks were listened to with mark- 
ed attention^ and served to allay the excitement. 
On Friday, April 9th, all hands were called to 
quarters, at six bells in the morning. The men 
of the starboard watch were below in their ham- 
mocks. In a few minutes all stowed their 
hammocks in their nettings, and were at their 
guns. The alarm was occasioned by a large ship 
to our windward, which proved to be a French 
man-of-war, bound to Algiers, with a regiment 
of soldiers on board. On Wednesday the weath- 
er was rough and stormy. We laid off Mahon, 
imtil Thursday, when we again made sail. On 
the 20th, we arrived in the harbor of Toulon, 
having been twenty-six days at sea since we 
sailed from Mahon. Owing to the rough sea and 
head-winds the ship made over one thousand 
miles in sailing from Mahon to Malaga, which in 
a direct line is less than ^we hundred miles. 
On the 20th, we fired several royal and national 
salutes, which were answered from the battery, 



170. LIFE OF AN 

and from the French Admiral's flag-ship. His 
squadron consisted of three one hundred and 
twenty gun-ships, four seventy-fours, two frig- 
ates, and three sloops of war. The French ships 
were handsomely built, and some of them had 
been constructed within a few years. Their 
crews were a hale and hearty set of fellows, and 
they enjoyed many privileges not granted the 
seamen in the United States Navy. 

Our national legislature, in 1832, having an 
overflowing treasury, advanced the pay of mid- 
shipmen from twenty-five dollars a month to 
over forty — acting, in many cases, under motives 
dictated by personal interest, as some of them 
had sons in the navy ; and by advancing their 
pay they would not be obliged to transmit sums 
of money to them to support their prodigality 
and extravagance, and they preferred to have it 
drawn from our national treasury. Others had 
sons for whom they would procure midshipmen's 
warrants, so that they might spend a few years 
in foreign countries, they being at sea only a 
small portion of time — sailing in the summer 



ex-man-of-war's-man. 171 

season in the beautiful and placid Pacific, or in 
the classic Mediterranean. All this was accom- 
plished, while the wages of hardy weather-beaten 
and fearless seamen, who peril life — sacrificing 
the pleasures and comforts of home — and who 
brave alike the tempest and the enemies of their 
country, were suff'ered to remain stationary, they 
receiving from ten to twelve dollars a jnonth, — 
and out of this pitiful sum, by a system of op- 
pression and fraud, was taken four or five dollars 
a month, for tea, sugar, pepper, mustard, soap, 
&c., termed small stores. It is a small business, 
truly, in the government, that the very food of 
the sailor is taken out of his own money. 
Would not the American people heartily ap- 
prove of a law doing away this miserable policy, 
which robs the seaman and fills the coffers of the 
rich ? It appears a very easy matter for Con- 
gress to raise the pay of one class of men to 
nearly double its former amount, while the j)ay 
of a more worthy and useful class of men — those 
they depend upon in peace to protect their com- 
merce, and in war to support the honor of their 



172 LIFE OF AN 

flag^upon the ocean — should be allowed to re- 
main the same. So small is the compensation 
allowed them by law, and so large a share of this 
trifling sum falls into the hands of the pursers, 
that few good seamen feel willing to ship in the 
service ; and a short time since, two frigates, all 
fitted for sea, were detained several months, 
through the want of a crew to man them. At 
the same time there were over four hundred 
midshipmen on their rolls who were anxious to 
receive their orders for sea, and thousands from 
almost every State in the Union had petitioned 
for midshipmen's warrants, and their names were 
recorded upon the books, while these fine frigates 
were detained a long time for the want of a crew 
to man them — when, too, the public service ac- 
tually required them on their stations. While 
the Ohio was lying at Mahon the previous win- 
ter, the midshipmen contracted many debts on 
shore ; and when the ship was ordered to sea, 
under the expectation of war, the citizens of 
Mahon came on board our ship to receive their 
pay, when to their surprise and displeasure they 



ex-man-of-war's-man. 173 

found several of these gentlemen of the w^tch 
unable to settle with them. Previous to these 
false and high-handed acts of fraud and mean- 
ness, while we were in the port of Trieste, two 
midshipmen smuggled liquor on board the ship. 
After they had remained drunk sometime, it was 
discovered. As they were sons of distinguished 
naval officers, their liberty was merely stopped 
for a short time. We shrink back with disgust 
from following those gentlemen of the watch 
through all these scenes, down to receiving their 
rations at the butcher's block, as necessity for 
once brings them down to the level of the com- 
mon seamen. 



on^iPTE-R. :k.:x:xx. 

May 1st, the sun arose amid the firing of guns 
and the roar of their thunder, it being the an- 
niversary of the birth of Louis Philippe, king 
of the French, and many were the demonstra- 
tions of respect and affection towards him. The 
French squadron, then lying in the harbor, con- 
sisted of seven line-of-battle-ships, three frigates, 
and several sloops of war. They were beauti- 
fully decorated with flags, and made a fine 
appearance. At nine in the morning, at noon, 
and at sundown, the whole squadron was in a 
perfect blaze of fire from their cannon, which 
echoed among the hills and valleys, — proclaim- 
ing to the people the fruits of their great revolu- 
tion of 1830, which placed upon the throne their 
king, amidst the approving plaudits of the na- 
tion. At noon the Ohio fired a salute, after 
which the Admiral's flag-ships run up to her 
mast-head the stars and stripes, and answered 



176 LIFE OF AN 

the compliment. Commodore Hull dined with 
the Admiral, and at night the French squadron 
was beautifully illuminated, and thousands of 
rockets were fired from Toulon^ which burst in 
the skies with great brilliancy. A boat-race 
took place, which attracted much attention. 
Five boats belonging to the Admiral's flag-ship, 
started opposite the hospital. Great were the 
exertions, and great were the rejoicings of the 
boat's crew which won the prize. A beautiful 
gold medal, with the arms of France engraven 
on it, was presented by the Admiral. 

On Thursday morning, when ashore, I was 
struck with astonishment to witness the arbitra- 
ry and oppressive conduct of some of the Ohio's 
officers ; and when contrasting them with the 
liberal and gentlemanly bearing of those in the 
same stations in the French service, a feeling of 
disgust naturally arose in my mind against those 
men who, when at home, make great professions 
of equality, but who there, where they have no 
motive for deceiving, act out their true charac- 
ters ; and it is not strange that the rankest ad- 



ex-man-of-war's-man. 177 

vocates of despotism blush at their hypocrisy 
and tyranny. I saw a French boat, whose crew 
were all convicts, go alongside the shore. The 
officers of the boat got out, and then told the 
convicts they could go on shore under charge of 
a sentinel. This was a common practice in Tou- 
lon. It soon commenced raining in torrents. 
The convicts went into a building near by, which 
secured them from the inclemency of the weath- 
er. But the officers of the boats belonging to 
the Ohio would not let their men go ashore. 
The coxswain remonstrated with the officers of 
the boat and begged permission to get out of 
the rain. — " No, d — n your eyes," was the reply, 
and they threatened to have him flogged for his 
insolence. The officers then went up to the city, 
and remained there until it cleared off, then 
went to their boats. I could not but compare 
the two cases. The late President, by his rec- 
ommendations and orders, effected much towards 
repressing cruel punishments on board the na- 
tional ships. If his orders were carried more 
into action by Commanders, they would have 
a lasting and beneficial influence. 



178 LIFE OF AN • 

In giving a brief sketch of several cases of 
punishment which occurred on jDoard our ship, 
I will commence with the case of a seaman be- 
longing at that time in the after-guard, to show 
the wrongs and injuries men innocently suffer : 
He was at work in the after-part of the ship, and 
was stationed on the quarter-deck. He asked a 
messmate, in a low voice, for a chew of tobacco. 
The officer of the deck heard a noise, and seeing 
him receive some tobacco, at once supposed it 
was him, and reported him to the first lieuten- 
ant, who had him put in the brig, for insolence, 
disoliedience of orders, &c. A midshipman who 
was standing by and saw the transaction, when 
he went to the brig to put him under the sen- 
try's charge, told , him he had done nothing 
worthy of punishment, and that when all hands 
were called to witness punishment, he would 
speak in his behalf After remaining in the brig 
a few days, the prisoners were called up (in those 
days there were a goodly number), and when 
they came to this man on the list, he stepped 
out and said that he was falsely accused, and 



ex-man-of-war's-man. 179 

could prove himself innocent by several men, and 
a midshipman in particular. "Never mind/' 
said the Captain, " I shall not give you but a 
few, as it would take longer to prove your inno- 
cence than to receive half a dozen/' and he 
ordered the boatswain's mate to go on. After he 
had received half a dozen with the cat-o'nine- 
tails on his bare back, he was cut loose by the 
quarter-master, and told to go to his duty. 

The next I shall relate was of a seaman be- 
longing to the waiste. He also was in the hab- 
it of chewing tobacco, and in attempting to spit 
into one of the spittoons, missed it and spit on 
the deck. A passed midshipman by the name 
of Lafayette Maynard, saw it, and immediately 
called the boatswain's mate, and ordered the 
man up to the breech of one of the guns. He 
then asked the boatswain's mate if he had his 
colt with him. The colt is another instrument 
for whipping — and is a tarred rope about four 
feet in length and five-eights of an inch in di- 
ameter. After the boatswain's mate had taken 
out his colt, the midshipman ordered him to go 



180 LIFE OF AN 

on, and he gave the man a dozen, and then d — d 
his eyes, and told him if he ever spit upon deck 
again, that he would have him tried by a court- 
martial for disobedience of orders, and contempt 
for his superiors. His whipping was severe in 
the extreme, and in direct opposition to the laws 
of Congress, which says, that no man shall be 
flogged except under the direct eye and sanction 
of the Captain of the ship ; and that the Cap- 
tain shall keep a record of every man that is 
flogged, what he is flogged for, and the number 
of lashes he receives ; and this record to be kept 
for the inspection of the heads of government. 
Another case more aggravating took place: 
The Commodore's coxswain had been on liberty. 
To say he was a good man, would be unnecessary, 
for he had the confidence of the Commodore, by 
being his coxswain, and the Captain of the ship 
made him Captain of the foretop. This man, in 
the morning, was quite sober for a man who had 
enjoyed the pleasure and sport of a run on shore. 
Perhaps he felt a little merry. An officer working 
on the main-deck saw him and ordered several 



EX-MAN-OF-WAR'S-MAN. 181 

experiments to be tried on him, commencing by 
giving bim several large doses of drugs of some 
description, and then commenced throwing water 
upon him from the pumps or engine. This man 
in a few moments fell to the deckhand those who 
stood around him supposed he was dead. They 
then carried him into the sick bay, and laid him 
on a cot. Medical aid was employed upon the 
man, when at this time his color began to 
change, and many supposed he was in a danger- 
ous situation. Several were seen walking in and 
out of the sick bay watching with fearful anx- 
iety his symptoms ; as he appeared to be in a 
dangerous condition, they were alarmed for their 
own safety, but the man in a few days recovered. 
What, I ask, would have been the result if the 
man had died ? If my impressions are correct, 
according to the civil law in the United States, 
when a quack gives poisonous medicine to a man, 
which causes his death, he is amenable for mur- 
der. Solomon said : " There is no new thine 
under the sun." If he had lived at that time, 
he would have found something new,— an officer 



182 LIFE OF AN 

turning surgeon and giving drugs to a man for 
punishment. This certainly was a new thing 
under the sun, for an officer of the ship to usurp 
the duties alone assigned to the surgeon. In 
justice, none of these charges can be laid against 
Commodore Hull. He was a frank, open-heart- 
ed, and honest man, and for over four months he 
had command of the ship, from the time that 
Capt. Smith left her, until Captain Lavallette 
took his place. But once in the whole time 
were all hands called to witness punishment, and 
then all were let off, so trifling were their 
offenses in the eyes of the old Commodore ; not 
a man was flogged on board the ship while he 
had command of her in person ; and the men 
were ashamed to go to him with their foolish re- 
ports, as he would always hear both sides of the 
question, and he paid as much attention to the 
sailor in his rough garb, as to the officer decked 
in his costly tinsel. While Commodore Hull 
had command of the ship the men were better 
treated, and they performed their duties better, 
and there was more harmony and comfort on 



ex-man-of-war's-man. 183 

board the ship, than ever before or since ; and 
every man on board the ship honored and re- 
spected him, and well he deserved to wear the 
honors bestowed upon him by the American 
people. 



May 4th, dispatches were received on board 
the Ohio, from the American Minister at Paris ; 
one of the dispatches contained the news of the 
lamented death of General Harrison, President 
of the United States. The Ohio displayed her 
flags at half-mast and fired minute guns through- 
out the day, and all the officers wore crape on 
their left arm in commemoration of the great 
national calamity. The French national ships 
then in port also displayed their flags at half- 
mast throughout the day, to show th^ir respect 
for the illustrious deceased. 

May 8th, all hands were called to unmoor 
ship and get under way. It was a beautiful 
morniug, and the sun shone in all its splendor 
upon the blue waters of the Mediterranean. As 
we bid adieu to our French friends in Toulon, a 
fine breeze sprung up, which soon wafted us 
clear of this beautiful port. A number of hours 



186 LIFE OF AN 

previous to the Ohio's sailing, one of the 
French government steamers sailed for Mahon, 
carrying letters and dispatches from the Ohio's 
officers and crew to the citizens of Mahon, 
expecting she would arrive at Mahon several 
days before the Ohio ; and they were surprised 
when the Ohio passed her, but not more so than 
the Captain of the steamer was when he arrived 
at Mahon, to find the Ohio there and safely 
moored. Many of the passengers who came 
over in the steamer and visited the Ohio, spoke 
in high terms of praise of her beauty, symmetry, 
and sailing qualities. On the 14th, all hands 
were called aft to the quarter-deck, and were 
addressed by the Chaplain on the recent death of 
the President of the United States. His re- 
marks were appropriate and eloquent. At sun- 
down all hands were called to attend prayers. 
After the Chaplain had read a number of prayers 
suitable for the occasion, an old seaman observed, 
— and he was one whose remarks were entitled 
to attention, for he had been long in both battle 
and breeze — that we were sometimes called to 



ex-man-of-war's-man. 187 

attend prayers and to muster on Sunday, but 
more frequently to see the lash applied to the 
backs of seamen for the very same misde- 
meanors that many of the officers are guilty of. 
Said he to me, ^' Is this the religion we have so 
eloquently preached to us ?" My answer was, 
" No ; for the whole system of religion is found- 
ed on truth, justice, and mercy ; and if the 
Gaptain should tell them, when all hands were 
called to witness punishment, and from twenty 
to sixty men before him, each waiting to receive 
his sentence : ^ Let him who is without sin cast 
the first stone ;' how many do you think, of these 
gentlemen who wear the large eagle button, 
would remain on deck to ^ cast the first stone ?'' 
On the 20th, at midnight, the drums beat to 
quarters, as it had been reported to the first 
lieutenant that several men had swam on shore ; 
but after mustering all the divisions, which 
usually takes but a few minutes, it was soon 
ascertained that all were present, and the first 
lieutenant ordered the drums to beat a retreat. 
I will here state that a number of the men 



188 LIFE OF AN 

intended to swim ashore that night, but were 
prevented by hearing that the first lieutenant 
had learned of their intended excursion on 
shore ; they therefore concluded it was best to 
remain on board. On the evening of the 29th 
of May, a disgraceful scene took place on board 
the Ohio, between several midshipmen of the 
larboard steerage, and their black servant. It 
appears that the midshipmen were laboring un- 
der the influence of strong drink, which spreads 
itself like a ruinous contagion in the navy, con- 
taminating all within its reach. The midship- 
men commenced sky-larking with the poor, de- 
graded son of Africa, who was rather too strong 
and robust for these gentlemen, who wore the 
eagle buttons, when on a sudden the first lieu- 
tenant came down upon the deck. His keen, 
penetrating eye saw the afii-ay at the first 
glance^ and as soon as the midshipmen observed 
him coming towards them, they screamed out 
for the negro to go up the mast. What mean- 
ness and duplicity ! They followed him up, 
kicking and beating him over the decks and up 



ex-man-of-war's-man. 189 

the ladder^. By this time several hundred 
men had collected on the main-deck to witness 
the shameful scene. As soon as he had got on 
the spar-deck, near the fife-rail, a noted place 
for all victims, one of the gentlemen of the 
watch who stood by him, reeling in brutal in- 
toxication, reported him to the officers of the 
deck, amid the laugh and hisses of the whole 
ship's company. The poor fellow mwas then 
confined in addition to receiving the treatment 
he had, which wis a gross outrage upon decency. 
All this was done to screen themselves, and 
shift the blame from their own shoulders to 
have it put upon the negro's back with the 
cat-o'nine-tails. The whole affair merited and 
received the contempt of all. On Sunday the 
weather was most delightful. All hands were 
dressed in white for the first time that spring, 
and they made a fine, neat, and uniform ap- 
pearance. They were inspected as usual on 
Sundays, by the Captain and first Lieutenant, 
after they had assembled at their quarters. 
Soon after, the drums beat a retreat, and in a 



190 LIFE OF AN 

few minutes the boatswain called all hands to 
muster. As soon as they were arranged in the 
customary order, the Chaplain gave them a 
spirited and eloquent discourse. He gave a fine 
description of the mariner's life, and spoke of 
the dangers, trials and temptations attendant 
on the same ; also of the pleasure of a home- 
ward bound passage. He appeared to be much 
interested^n the welfare of the ship's company. 
I had every reason to think the Chaplain a 
Christian, as well as a perfect gentleman. The 
Chaplain had but just closed his able and elo- 
quent discourse, when a midshipman came off 
the orlop-deck in a state of brutal drunkenness. 
He used the most insulting language against 
several distinguished officers. What a humilia- 
ting example for an officer to set. If the whole 
ship's company had followed the example which 
was set by this young officer, what would be 
the natural or certain result of the case ? They 
would be confined in the brig, put in double 
irons and gagged, and when called before the 
Captain would receive a severe reprimand, be 



ex-man-of-war's-man. 191 

stripped, and receive one dozen with the cats — 
a species of torture which would disgrace the 
Spanish Inquisition. The question has been 
asked by many, why so few native seamen are 
found in the naval service of the United States ? 
What American, who feels the noble impulse 
of freedom throbbing in his bosom, would ever 
consent to rivet the chains of slavery upon 
himself? The clanking of the chains which 
have been riveted on the few native seamen, 
who are found in naval service, has served to 
deter others from selling their birthright for a 
mess of pottage. 



On Saturday, the 7th of June, the soul-stir- 
ring words were passed fore and aft our deck : 
" All hands up anchor for the United States/* 
This order was cheerfully obeyed, and as the 
sun slowly descended below the horizon we 
sailed out of the harbor. All was animation 
and joy on board the ship. The band soon 
caught the spreading joy and gave us, in anima- 
ting strains, " Home, Sweet Home." June 21st, 
Kichard Burke, a native of Dresden, in the 
State of Maine, died after a long illness, at 
eleven o'clock in the evening as he was on the 
passage to his native land. He raised his head 
from his pillow to feel for the last time the 
breeze and to hear the surges of the sea which 
had often delighted his ears, but soon fell on his 
pillow and expired in that bright hope which is 
an anchor to the soul both sure and steadfast. 
The usual prayers were made by the Chaplain 



194 LIFE OF AN 

in an able manner, when his remains were con- 
signed to the great deep. He was an able sea- 
man and much liked by his mess and shipmates, 
and all regretted his fate. The following lines 
were composed by one of the seamen, on his 
death : 

Poor Burke is gone — his thread is spun — 

He sleeps upon the coral bed, 
And there will rest, till the last trump 

Shall summon forth the ocean's dead. 

Though tempest roar along the main, 
And towering waves their fury pour. 

He sleeps secure beneath the foam. 
With thousands on the coral floor. 

And far away from his loved home, — 
Where nature first imparted breath, — 

There, on the ocean's stormy wild. 
He drank the bitter cup of death. 

No mother's voice was there to soothe 

The sorrow of the dying man ; 
Nor sister's hand to close his eyes, — 

But strangers from a foreign land. 

All worldly thoughts he did resign. 

His earthly friends he bid adieu ; 
He left his mother all his store, 

And died lamented by the crew. 



ex-man-of-wak's-man. 195 

The cares of life he does not heed, 

And pain and sorrow he defies ; 
His soul has left this transient earth, 

For that bright world beyond the skies. 



■ On Saturday, the 12th, we arrived at Gibral- 
tar. The American Consul, several Captains of 
American vessels, and a number of English offi- 
cers, both civil and military, visited the Ohio. 
We fired several salutes, also a royal salute of 
twenty-one guns, which compliment was answer- 
ed from the English battery, by the same num- 
ber. I will here state that, in the course of the 
voyage, I had collected together quite a number 
of curiosities, which I had bought in the different 
ports we had visited, and which I had stowed 
away in the hold oi^ the ship, intending them as 
presents for my friends in the United States ; 
but on going down one day to see them, I found 
to my surprise that they had been stolen. It is 
probable that they had been taken by some of 
the crew who had been discharged, as search was 
made, and they could not be found on board the 
ship. On Tuesday, all hands were called to up 



196 LIFE OF AN 

anchor and make sail for the United States of 
America. It was expected the Hastings and 
Thunderer, two the finest English line-of- battle- 
ships in the British navy, would get under way 
at the same time, and give the Ohio a chance to 
have a race with them, but they wisely remain- 
ed at anchor. This was not the first time .the 
British lion had admitted the superior qualities 
of the ships of war which bear the stars and 
stripes. Every man was at his station, and the 
orders which were given for making sail were 
obeyed with promptness, and in a few minutes 
the far-famed rock of Gibraltar was left far 
astern. We had a fine breeze and sailed at 
the rate of ten knots an hour through the 
Straits. 

Homeward bound ! thou heaven-protected, 
Beauteous barque upon the deep ; 

May thy prow be well directed, 
May thy helmsman never 



Still and peaceful be the surges, — 
Clouds their torrents cease to pour 

Strong and sure the gale that urges 
To that blest and happy shore. 



ex-man-of-war's-man. 197 

June 22d5 the cry from the mast-head was, 
" Sail ho !" Where away ? cried the officer 
of the deck. " Two points on the lee bow/' was 
the reply. The sail proved to be an American 
whaling barque, which was hove to, while her 
boat's crew were in pursuit of a whale which lay 
just ahead and in the direct course of the Ohio, 
which gave us a fair chance to see the sport. 
There were three boats' crews in pursuit of the 
whale. The nearest one to the whale contained 
the chief mate of the barque, who stood in the 
bows of the boat with his harpoon poised ready 
to strike. When he arrived within a few feet of 
the whale he struck him just back of the flukes, 
giving the order at the same time to back water, 
but they were not soon enough. No sooner had 
the order been given than the whale, raising his 
flukes, struck the boat a tremendous blow, which 
shattered her into a thousand pieces. The oth- 
er boats' crews coming up at this time, picked 
up the chief mate and crew. The whale, on 
striking the boat, sounded immediately, and on 
rising again spouted blood, which showed that 



198 LIFE OF AN 

the harpoon had touched his life. After spout- 
ing and floundering half an hour, all was still. 
The boat's crew then came up and made fast to 
him and towed him alongside the barque ; after 
which he was cut in pieces and hoisted on board, 
the oil tried out in try-kettles which were set on 
deck, and then stowed away in the hold. 

July 10th, the ship was hove to on the Grand 
Banks, and the officers and crew had fine sport 
fishing. They caught quite a number of fine 
cod, which were equally distributed between the 
officers and ship's company. On the 16th, we 
sailed into Massachusetts Bay, fired a gun for a 
pilot, and, the fog being quite dense, laid to 
through the night. July 17th, we came to single 
anchor at the President's Roads, about six miles 
from Boston. As soon as we had come to anchor 
and the sails were furled, I went on deck and told 
the officer of the deck that I wished to go on shore. 
The officer told me to go to my duty ; I replied 
that I should not do any more duty on board the 
ship, as my term of service had expired the June 
previous, and that according to the laws of the 



ex-man-of-war's-man. 199 

United States I considered myself a citizen. 
The officer then called for the master-at-arms, 
and gave orders to him to put me in double irons 
and have me secured in the brig for disobedience 
of orders and contempt for my superiors. I told 
the master-at-arms, that my term of service had 
expired, and that I was a citizen, and that if he 
laid his hands on me he would do it at the peril 
of his life. The Captain hearing a disturbance 
on deck, stepped from the cabin to ascertain the 
cause ; and after hearing the case, told the offi- 
cer of the deck that he was in the wrong ; then 
turning to me, he said, " As you have always 
performed all the duties assigned you with 
promptness, and with cheerfulness, you can now 
go on shore.'' I accordingly went on shore, and 
arrived in Boston about four o'clock the same 
afternoon. 



' I landed at granite wliarf, where I met an 
older brother, who was on the lookout for me ; 
we both passed through the city over to Charles- 
town to visit a still older brother who resided at 
that place. I there found my mother, my old- 
est sister and niece, who had come from Win- 
chester, N. H., in the expectation of finding me 
there. It proved a very happy meeting for 
them, as they had not seen me for over three 
years. After spending the remainder of the 
afternoon at my brother's, and promising him 
that I would not go to sea again until I had 
visited my friends in the country, I returned 
to the city. The next day the Ohio went up in 
grand style, and anchored off May's wharf ; and 
as she passed the Columbus, which lay at an- 
chor in the stream, her band struck up " Hail 
Columbia," which was answered by the band of 
the Columbus with " Home, Sweet Home ; " 



204 LIFE OF AN 

after which the rigging was manned and three 
cheers were given by the crew on board of the 
Ohioj which was answered by the crew of the 
Columbus^ at that time lying in the harbor as a 
receiving ship. The Ohio on this voyage had 
sailed a distance of 25,590 miles. 

On the 26th of July, between two and three 
hundred of the Ohio's crew, whose time of ser- 
vice had expired, met at the Mariners' Inn, 
where they chose myself and Watson as dele- 
gates to wait on the Commodore ; after which 
they formed a procession, and marched in com- 
pany with a band of music, through Elm and 
up Hanover streets, across Pemberton Hill into 
Tremont Street, and halted in front of the 
Albion House, when the band struck up " The 
Star Spangled Banner." Immediately after 
the band ceased playing, the Commodore's aid 
(passed Midshipman Parker) made his appear- 
ance and conducted the delegates to the Com- 
modore's room, where I stated in the name of 
the crew the state of their grievances, which 
were as follows : First, when they left the ship, 



ex-man-of-war's-man. 205 

the Purser would not allow them any money ; 
and none of them had less than one hundred, 
and some had three or four hundred dollars due 
them. Secondly, they had been on shore ten 
days, and having no money had contracted 
debts, as they were charged double price by the 
landlords, or landsharks as they should be called. 
Thirdly, many of the crew belonged to distant 
parts of the country, and they wished him to 
use his influence with the Captain and Purser, 
that they might be paid off so as to be enabled 
to return to their respective homes. I then 
stated to the Commodore, in the name of the 
crew, that we had always honored, respected 
and obeyed him in all things and considered him 
our friend, and that we would solicit his advice 
in the matter. The Commodore said in reply, 
that he supposed they had been paid off ; and 
that he considered it an honor that they had 
waited upon him in the orderly manner they 
had that day done. He then gave his word 
that they should be paid off the next day. He 
accordingly sent an order on board the ship to 



206 LIFE OF AN 

have them paid off, which order was obeyed on 
the next day. The delegates were then con- 
ducted by Parker to their ranks^ when the 
Commodore made his appearance, showing his 
respect for the crew bj- taking off his hat 
and saluting them, which was answered by 
three cheers from the crjew. The band then 
struck up " Yankee Doodle ;" after which they 
marched through Tremont, down Winter, 
through WashingtoUj State and Commercial 
Streets to the Mariners' Inn, where a halt was 
ordered and they then dispersed. It was a noble 
sight to see these hale, hearty seamen, dressed 
in their short blue jackets and trowsers, man-of- 
war-frocks, tarpaulin hats, pumps and white 
stockings ; and there never was an equal number 
of men marched through Boston streets in a 
more orderly manner than this portion of the 
Ohio's crew. 

On the 28th, I gave an invitation to four or 
five of my shipmates, belonging to other cities, 
to visit with me some of the most interesting 
places in the city and its vicinity. This invita- 



ex-man-of-war's-man. 207 

tion was accepted by them, and we accordingly- 
visited Dorchester Heights, Cambridge Colleges, 
Lexington Battle-Field and Bunker Hill Mon- 
ument ; and after returning to the city we 
visited the State House, Museum and Theaters. 
August 1st, I went to work in Charles town 
at my trade, at which place I remained until 
the first of September. One evening in August, 
while in Charlestown, I went over to Boston to 
visit some friends, and as I was passing through 

S Street, the cry of murder reached my 

ear. I listened and found that it proceeded 
from a house situated at the end of a court 

leading from S Street. I tried the door 

but found it fast, and immediately burst it 
open, rushed into the sitting room, and was 
met by a man with a large carving knife, who 
immediately struck at me with it. I seized a 
chair and struck him to the floor. The cries 
for help still continued, and they seemed to 
proceed from a room adjoining, which I entered 
and there found a young lady struggling to free 
herself from the grasp of a villain. With one 



208 LIFE OF AN 

blow of the fist I knocked the villain down and 
jumped over him, and taking the lady under my 
protection was about leaving the house when I 
was met by my first antagonist and a watchman 
who had been attracted thither by the noise. 
After hearing the truth of the matter, he 
sprung his rattle for the assistance of his 
brother-watchmen, who arrived in a few mo- 
ments and took charge of the man of the house, 
and then proceeded to the next room to take 
the other villain, but found he had recovered 
sufficiently to escape through the window. The 
young lady expressed her thanks and gratitude 
to me for my timely assistance, and stated that 

she belonged in M ^ — , New Hampshire, and 

that she arrived in Boston only the day* before 
and visited the Intelligence Office, where this 
man saw her and hired her to sew in his family. 
He then hired a carriage and took her to his 
residence, and introduced two young girls to her 
as his daughters. She stated that she had re- 
tired to rest about half past nine, and being 
very tired fell asleep immediately ; but was 



ex-man-of-war's-man. 209 

shortly after awakened by the before mentioned 
villain entering into her room. The thought 
then struck her that sfte had been betrayed into 
a den of vice, and she tried hard to escape, but 
was grappled by the villain, when she cried for 
help and was rescued by my timely interference. 
I escorted the young lady to a respectable hotel, 
and when I was about to leave her she told me 
that she should leave the city the next morning, 
as she thought it safer to return to her country 
home than to remain in a city where there were 
such sinks of iniquity. 



The first day of September, 1841, 1 visited the 
city of Lowell, where I remained a week visiting 
many of the factories, and enjoying all the 
amusements of that place. On the 8th, I took 
the coach for Fitchburg, at which place I arrived 
about noon : and the following day took the 
coach for Winchester, where I arrived about nine 
o'clock in the evening in company with my 
brother-in- law, Mr. Temple, whom I had over- 
taken at Winchendon. I intended to return to 
Boston after paying a short visit to my friends 
in Winchester, but through the urgent entreat- 
ies of my mother and friends I was prevailed 
upon to spend the winter at that place. 

In March, 1842, I went to work at my trade 
for Gilman Morse and worked for him until May 
7th, at w^hich time I married a girl by the name 
of Alony A. D. Green, from Eutland, Mass., af- 
ter an acquaintance of six weeks. I was at that 



212 LIFE OF AN 

time in my twenty-sixth year, and my wife was 
in the sixteenth year of her age. She was a 
gay, artful and deceitful creature, but was quite 
good looking and rather attractive. This mar- 
riage was contracted on the impulse of the mo- 
ment, and in after-years it caused me many 
hours of bitter sorrow. I wiU relate the circum- 
stances of the marriage : On the morning of 
the 7th of May I invited Miss Green to ride 
with me to Brattleboro, Vt., having business to 
transact at that place ; this invitation she ac- 
cepted. We passed through Hinsdale to Ver- 
non and called at a public house, where we met 
Dr. Washburn, the Gretna Green high priest of 
that section of the country. As I. had previous- 
ly been slightly acquainted with him, the Doctor 
extended an invitation to us to call on his fam- 
ily, which we accepted ; and in the course of the 
visit we were united in the bonds of matrimony 
by the Doctor, neither of us hanng thought of 
the subject previous to our call on him. We 
then passed on to Brattleboro, and returned to 
Winchester on the 9th, where I settled and 
worked at my trade. 



ex-man-of-war's-man. 213 

In June, 1843, I visited Rutland, Mass., in 
company with my wife, after wliich we went to 
the city of Worcester where we visited the 
Insane Hospital and other public buildings 
of any note, and then returned to Winchester. 
Nothing of importance happened until October 
25th, 1844, when my wife left me. The two 
following weeks I heard nothing from her, neith- 
er did I know where she was ; but the third 
week she returned to live with me again. In 
the fall of 1845, my health being very poor, I 
relinquished the carpenter's business, and com- 
menced keeping a factory boarding-house in a 
place called Scotland, about one and three- 
fourth miles from Winchester village. In Jan- 
uary, 1846, the factory, which belonged to David 
Ball, of Winchester, and John D. Goodnow, of 
Boston, was entirely destroyed by fire, which 
circumstance threw me out of employment. The 
following spring I hired a house in the south 
part of the village of Winchester, directly op- 
posite Follett's hotel. 

On the 4th of July, 1846, there was a groat 



214 LIFE OF AN 

celebration in Winchester, when I came very 
near being killed by a terrible accident, while 
loading a cannon which was being fired in re- 
sponse to the toasts delivered at the table by 
the master of the ceremonies. We had fired the 
piece so fast that it had become extremely hot, 
and while I was ramming the cartridge home, 
through the carelessness of the man who was 
thumbing the piece it exploded, and I was 
thrown directly in front of the piece into the 
river. I was immediately taken from the river 
and laid upon the ground, most of the company 
thinking me dead. There were a number of 
physicians present, some of whom pronounced 
life not extinct. I was then carried into the 
late Dr. Wheaton's yard. After the blood had 
been washed from my wounds, I was placed up- 
on a bed which was kindly furnished by the 
Doctor, on which I was carried to Mr. Temple's, 
where my wounds were examined by Drs. Alex- 
ander, Wheaton, Pierce and Holland. On 
examination it was found that my left arm was 
broken between the elbow and shoulder, and the 



ex-man-of-war's-man. 215 

bones in my hand and wrist were most of them 
broken. My right arm was horribly mangled, and 
the little finger shot away. On examining my 
head it was found that my skull was cracked, my 
upper jaw broken, and nearly all my upper teeth 
knocked out or broken oiF. My face was filled 
with powder and splinters, which caused the loss 
of my eyesight. No one present thought I 
could ever recover. At the time of the accident, 
Mr. Temple was absent on his way to Boston. 
Mr. Willard, another brother-in-law, was absent 
at the time but returned the same afternoon. 
He had been absent from his family two or three 
weeks, who then resided at West Winchester, 
about two miles from Winchester center village. 
On arriving at the village he heard of the acci- 
dent, and proceeded immediately to Mr. Tem- 
ples, where he heard that I had been carried, and 
kindly remained "through the night, and the 
following day. Mr. Temple, on hearing of the 
accident, left his team and returned home, when 
a consultation was held by the physicians, which 
resulted in sending for the late Dr. Twitchell, of 



216 LIFE OF AN 

Keene, who arrived Sunday morning with four 
assistants. After Dr. Twitchell had examined 
me he pronounced my wounds mortal, and said 
I could not possibly live six days. Previous to 
Dr. TwitchelFs arrival the resident doctors had 
concluded to amputate my arm, but Dr. Twitch- 
ell said it would be giving me unnecessary pain, 
as I could not live, and there was great danger 
of lockjaw, and also of fever and mortification. 
For the first eight days after I was hurt, I was 
attended by Drs. Alexander and Pierce, each 
visiting me twice a day. It required two hours 
at each visit for them to dress my wounds. The 
ninth day, about two o'clock in the afternoon, 
my nurse discovered that while laboring under 
a fit of derangement, I had torn the bandages 
from my left arm, and that it was bleeding pro- 
fusely. Assistance was immediately called in, 
and the physician sent for. When the Doctor 
arrived he pronounced Hfe extinct, but on close 
observation he perceived a slight beat of a pulse in 
the temple. He then proceeded to take up the 
veins and arteries, and again bandaged the arm, 



ex-man-of-wak's-man. 217 

whicli stopped the bleeding, and after applying a 
few restoratives I revived. The following three 
weeks, Dr. Alexander attended me alone. 
Through the goodness of God, and the kindness 
and attention of my friends, my life was spared. 
In six weeks from the time I was hurt I walk- 
ed to my own home, about one hundred rods 
from Mr. Temple's. I will here state that in 
the course of the walk, there seemed a voice 
sounding in my ears : "The goodness of God in 
sparing your life should lead you to repentance." 
This struck me so forcibly, that on arriving at 
home I entered my closet, and prayed for the 
first time for years. After remaining sometime 
at my devotions, I felt as though a great burden 
had been removed from my heart, and that I 
could rely upon Jesus as my Saviour. The 
greater part of the time the following winter 
was spent in religious duties, such as attending 
meetings, having prayer meetings at my house, 
and conversing with Christians and others on the 
subject of religion. About a year from that 
time I joined the Congregational Church in 
Winchester. 



218 LIFE OF AN 

In June, 1848, my wife's health being rather 
poor, the Doctor advised me to take a short jour- 
ney, and we accordingly visited my sister who 
resided in Springfield, Yt. On the night of the 
23d of July, 1849, my wife again left me. So 
artful had been her maneuvering, that I had not 
the least idea of her elopement until the fol- 
lowing morning, when my niece, who was then 
residing with us, found on the table a letter ad- 
dressed to me, which stated that she had left 
me, and that too forever ; and that it would be 
useless for me to follow her, as she should be 
many miles distant before this letter was 
read to me. The next October I had an in- 
terview with her, which resulted in a divorce, 
obtained the following December. December, 
1849, I visited my friends in Boston, Charles- 
town and Hadley. On the 24th of March, 1850, 
I married a young lady by the name of Hannah 
W. Longley, of Lowell, Mass. I was now 
much happier than I had been for jcavs. — 
Although I had lost my natural sight, I could 
discern my Saviour by the eye of faith. I will 



ex-man-of-war's-man. 219 

here add, that my religious feelings were not 
caused by any excitement, as no minister had 
visited me, nor had the subject of religion been 
introduced by any one after I was wounded, 
until I mentioned it myself after my recovery. 

In November, 1851, I received an invitation 
to attend my mother's wedding, which ceremony 
was performed by the Rev. Mr. Manson, of the 
Methodist Episcopal Church, at the residence of 
Mr. Willard, my brother-in law. My mother 
married at this time Mr. William Hewett, of 
Londonderry, Vt. There were present at the 
wedding, Mr. and Mrs. Willard and their family ; 
my oldest brother, James Gould, Esq., of Boston; 
Mr. Willard's father and mother, and myself and 
Avife. They were to leave the following morning 
for the home of Mr. Hewett. 

At the request of my mother I composed 
the following lines, which were sung after the 
ceremony : 

Dear mother, much do I approve 
Your marriage choice and second love ; 
With your new home, may yoii be blest, 

And with your husband there find rest. 



220 LIFE OF AN 

Mucli happiness may you enjoy ; — 
But don't forget your poor blind boy ; 
Though you are going far away, 
Do not forget for him to pray. 

Your husband h.» will with you pray, 
At dawn and at the close of day ; 
Oh may those prayers to God arise, 
Then you will gain the heavenly prize. 

Then when a few short years are o'er, 
I'll meet you on fair Canaan's shore ; 
Yes, if we trust in Jesus' love. 
We'll meet in that bright world above. 

In June, 1842, I met with a great loss 
by the death of my oldest sister, the wife of L. S. 
Willard. She had always been kind and affec- 
tionate to me, I therefore felt her loss keenly. 
She was also a true hearted, kind, and affection- 
ate wife and mother. In 1862 I was again call- 
ed to mourn, for the loss of my mother. She 
died in Wilmington, Vt., at the residence of 
Mr. Temple, my brother-in-law. 



ex-man-of-war's-man. 221 



THE REHEARSAL OF THE EX-MAN-OP-WAR' 
MAN'S LAST CRUISE. 

I've been a jolly sailor bold, 

My name is R. F. G.; 
When I was twenty-one years old, 

I shipped and went to sea ; 
I went on board a naval ship, 

The Ohio by name ; 
^ Then all our moorings we did slip 

To cross the raging main. 

'Twas eighteen hundred thirty-eight 

The Ohio set sail, 
And sailed for Gibraltar Strait 

In a cold north-west gale. 
We stopped at Gibraltar Rock, 

It looked warlike and bold ; 
For me they did their gates unlock. 

Their city to behold, 

I visited Toulon in France 

With many jolly tars, 
And there we had a merry dance 

Under our stripes and stars. 
Then Naples I did roam around. 

From thence on board did go ; 
I saw the Alps in the back ground. 

All covered o'er with snow. 

I saw the. land called Corsica, 
' And I saw old Leghorn ; 



222 LIFE OF AN 

Then in Genoa I did straj'', . 

Where Columbus was born. 
I saw Marseilles, and Lisbontown, 

And I was not alone ; 
We sailed the Bay of Biscay down, 

Then sailed to Port Mahon. 

We sailed from thence— cold was the air, — 

And at the break of day 
I saw the famous island where 

St. Paul was cast away ; 
I saw Elba, and old Trieste, 

And I have also seen 
The ancient capitol of Greece, 

King Otho and his Queen. 

Then Smyrna City I did search ; 

Then did my way pursue 
To the old ancient Christian Church, 

Its ruins I did view. 
To Patmos then I sailed away. 

And landed from a boat. 
Where St. John, all good people say. 

His Revelation wrote. 

I saw Palermo and her bay, 

And I saw old Corfu ; 
Then in Sardinia I did stray, 

With many of our crew, * 

I saw the coast of Africa — 

It filled my heart with pain 
To see the slaver bear away 

Iler swarthy sons in chains. 



ex-man-of-war's-man. 223 

I saw Madeira and Fayal, 

But did not long there stay, 
For soon I heard the boatswain's call — 

" All hands get under way." 
Old Tenerijffe I then did view, 

Then Malaga in Spain ; 
I sailed then with as brave a crew 

As ever cruised the main. 

'Twas eighteen hundred forty-one, 

In July, I came home ; 
I told my friends that I had done 

The ocean for to roam. 
I live now by the river side, 

But I am poor and blind ; 
The one I have now for a bride, 
She is both true and kind. 

I've got the Bible for my chart. 

And Jesus for my friend ; 
I'll from their precepts ne'er depart. 

Till all my woes shall end. 
Then when the voyage of life is o'er, 

I'll trust in Jesus' love, — 
He'll guide me to fair Canaan's shore, 

That happy port above. 



CONTAINING THE AFTER-RECORD OF THE MOST 
PROMINENT OFFICERS WHO WERE CONNECTED 
WITH THE OHIO, IN HER THREE-YEARS-CRUISE 
ON THE MEDITERRANEAN STATION. • 

Commodore Hull, our veteran commander, 
died in the year 1842, full of years and crowned 
with honor. The following lines were composed 
on Huirs fight with the Guerriere. 



In eighteen twelve, amid the strife, 

Hull fought for liberty and life ; 

Old Ironsides was the ship's name 

In which brave Hull then cruised the main. 

One day a frigate hove in sight ; 
Then with this frigate Hull did fight : 
An Englishman she proved to be, 
But br-Bve Hull sunk her in the sea. 

The English Captain went on board. 
And to brave Hull gave up his sword ; 
Hull cruised east, and then sailed west, 
With Captain Dacresfor his guest. 



228 LIFE OF AN 

Captain Egbert F. Stockton, our senior or 
fighting captain, on his return to the United 
States, was promoted to the rank of Commodore, 
that being the highest rank in the naval service 
at that time. Soon after this he resigned his 
commission in the navy and was chosen Senator 
from his, native State, New Jersey, to represent 
that State in the Congress of the United States. 
He was the author of the bill abolishing whipping 
in the navy. He had seen the evil effects of this 
practice, — when a man was called up to the 
gangway to be whipped, and when all hands 
were called to witness the punishment, — and 
that it degraded the man to such an extent that 
it did him more harm than good. Commodore 
Stockton was an excellent officer, a perfect gen- 
tleman, a true patriot, and a good citizen. 

Captain Joseph Smith, our junior or sailing 
captain, owing to ill health on his return to the 
United States, was ordered by the Navy De- 
partment to fill various stations on shore : 
among the rest, head of the Navy Bureau at 
Washington. He has been promoted to the 



ex-man-of-war's-man. 229 

rank of Rear Admiral. Midshipman Albert 
Smith, his oldest son, has done service to the 
country as commander of a blockading ship, and 
by taking many privateers in the course of the 
war for the Union. Joseph Smith, Jr., Admi- 
ral Smith's youngest son, it will be remembered 
by many of our readers, was the Lieutenant- 
Commander of the ill-fated sloop-of-war, Con- 
gress, which was sunk in Hampton Roads, by 
the iron-clad frigate Merrimack. 

Our Lieutenant- Commander Pendergrast, 
though a Southerner^ was true to his flag, his 
country, and the Union. He was a brave, bold 
and efficient officer, and did good service in the 
last war for the Union, and against the Rebell- 
ion, and was promoted to the rank of Commo- 
dore. Our second Lieutenant, Samuel Mercer, 
though a Virginian, was also true to his flag, his 
country and the Union. He was a good and 
efficient officer, and was well liked by his junior 
officers and crew. Our third Lieutenant, Sam- 
uel F. Dupont, on his return to the United 
States, filled various stations under the orders of 



230 LIFE OF AN 

the Navy Department. He was the owner of 
the famous Dupont Powder Works at Wilming- 
ton^ Delaware. Though a Southerner he was 
also true to his flag and the Union. He was as 
noble-hearted and brave a commander as ever 
trod a ship's deck. For instance^ dear reader, 
look with me off the harbor of Beaufort, South 
Carolina. See the noble Dupont, giving his or- 
ders to his junior officers concerning the battle 
which is about to commence with those two 
forts, Walker and Beauregard, those formidable 
forts which command the harbor of Beaufort. 
Look again, dear reader, — what is that we see? 
It is the noble Wabash bearing the broad pennant 
of Admiral Dupont. See, he does not send his 
junior officers to battle with the enemy alone, 
but takes the lead and goes first into battle with 
his own noble ship. As he nears Fort Beaure- 
gard, see, he pours in a full broadside of shot 
and shell, as also do those ships in his rear that 
are following in the wake of the Wabash. By 
the time that the last of his floating batteries 
has discharged its last broadside at Fort Beau- 



0» 

ex-man-of-war's-man. 231 

regard, the noble Wabash has turned her course 
and is now pouring her broadside of shot and 
shell into Fort Walker. See also, Dupont, in 
his method of fighting, draws nearer to each fort, 
at each circling broadside which he pours into 
them. By this maneuver, the enemy's shot 
most of them pass harmlessly over Dupont's 
fleet. Look again, dear reader, what do we see 
now ? the rebel enemies of their country fleeing 
from those strong-holds, and the flag of our 
country waving from the ramparts where before 
floated the rattlesnake of South Carolina. 

Lieuts. Hitchcock and G-ainsvoort, with 
many of our junior officers, did good and efficient 
service to the country in the war for the Union. 
I would here remark that I think justice has not 
been done to our navy during or since this struo"- 
gle,— not through any desire of the press to do 
them injustice, but through their negligence in 
not placing correspondents on board naval ships, 
as well as in the army. The navy has been called 
upon to do the arduous duty of blockading the 
numerous ports between the Potomac and the 



232 LIFE OF AN 

Kio Grande — arduous on account of their being 
exposed on a lee shore, and to storms on a dan- 
gerous coast ; to watch night and day to prevent 
blockade runners supplying the enemy with food, 
clothing, and munitions of war. They have 
also done good service on our rivers and lakes. 
We never have read of but very few desertions 
from the navy, for sailors are generally as bold, 
brave, and generous a set of men as the world 
contains. 

And now, dear reader, if I have interested you 
in the perusal of this simple but true tale, I am 
amply paid. 

The following lines are added, at the request 
of some of my personal friends : 

THE FALSE WIFE. 
In eighteen hundred forty-two 
A foolish thing I then did do ; 
I married Miss A. A. Green, 
And she proved false, as will be seen. 

I had not lived with her long, 
Before I found her in the wrong ; 
One Sunday night she ran away, 
And stayed three weeks, just to a day. 



ex-man-of-war's-man. 233 

Then from a letter I did learn 
That unto me she would return ; 
If I her follies would forgive, 
She would return and with me live. 

To this I then did give consent, 
But soon I had cause to repent ; 
She was fleceitful, gay and bold, 
And half her follies I've not told, 

'Twas while I lived v/ith this false wife, 
One day I nearly lost my life ; 
My life was spared, but I was blind, 
And then this woman proved unkind, 

In eighteen hundred forty-nine. 
She thought it would be very fine 
If from her husband she could roam,' — 
She'd try and find another home. 

She left me, and then changed her name. 
And unto her be all the shame ; 
Yet she may feel God's chastening rod. 
Before she's laid beneath the sod. . 

Before she does this life depart, 
May Jesus touch her hardened heart ; 
That heart it must to Christ be given, 
If she would dwell with him in heaven. 



234 - LIFE OF AN 

HANNAH AND HER SAILOR-BOY. 

Hannali is a cliarmiug girl, 
Her fine hair in ringlets curls ; 
And love sparkles in her eye 
When her Sailor-Boy is nigh. 

Hannah has dark auburn hair, 
And her countenance is fair ; 
And her face, it "beams with joy 
When she sees her Sailor-Boy. 

Hannah is both true and kind, 
Though her Sailor-Boy is blind ; 
The gifts of God she shares with joy, 
With her poor blind Sailor-Boy. 

Hannah reads with great delight 
Her Holy Bible every night ; 
Then she prays and sings for joy, 
With her darling Sailor-Boy. 



LINES ON THE DEATH OF A SISTER'S INFANT 
SON. 
I saw a mother kiss her child, — 
The babe awoke and sweetly smiled ; 
That mother's heart was filled with joy, 
As she caressed her infant boy. 

Alas ! that mother's joy was brief, — 
That mother's joy was turned to grief ; 
Her babe lies in its narrow bed, 
It sleeps now with the silent dead. 



ex-man-of-war's-man. 235 

I saw that mother yet again, 
That mother's heart was wrung with pain ; 
Oh ! may she give her heart to God, 
Then she can kiss his chastening rod. 

That mother is my sister dear, 
Oh may her heart from pain be clear ; 
Yes, may that heart to Christ be given. 
Then she will meet her babe in heaven. 



LINES TO LIZZIE A. 

Lizzie, think not of him lightly, 
Though a doctor he may be ; 

He is young and gay and sprightly. 
As most men that you will see. 

Lizzie, by his good profession 
He will gain both wealth and fame ; 

Has he to you made confession ? 
And will not you change your name ? 

Lizzie, is this all illusion? 

Does he not your heart demand ? 
Banish then all your confusion. 

And accept his proffered hand. 

Lizzie, it was my intention. 
When I did begin this rhyme. 

Somewhere in it marriage mention, 
But 'twill do another time. 



236 LIFE OF AN 

THE WAY MISS C. W. WOULD LIKE TO BE MAR- 
RIED. 

I would be married in the night, 
And have the church well filled with light ; 
In purest white I would be dressed, 
And wear a diamond on my breast. 

Then at the altar I would stand, 
And take my lover by the hand ; 
I'd have the priest pronounce us one, — 
This is the way I'd have it done. 

I would be married in this way. 
Then, friends or foes, they could not say 
That any one received a slight. 
For I would have them all delight. 

Then with my husband I would roam 
Unto his bright and peaceful home ; 
I would enjoy all of love's charms, 
• As he embraced me in his arms. 



THE TINKER AND TAILORESS. 

In Winchester there lived a maid. 
And she had learned the tailor's trade ; 
Yes, she could make a coat and vest, 
And entertain Joe as her guest. 

This fair maid, she was often seen, 
I think her age was just nineteen ; 
Her form was tall, her face was fair. 
With bright blue eyes, and auburn hair. 



ex-man-of-war's-man. 237 

This maid once lived on Miry Brook, 
But now she's caught by young Love's hook ; 
The one who's caught this pretty maid, 
"Works in a shop where pans are made. 

This man's namesake, I have been told, 
Was once into old Egypt sold ; 
But now he sells stove-pipe and pans, 
That he does make with his own hands. 



THE SLEIGH RIDE. 

Young Web one day went out to ride. 
With fair young Emma by his side ; — 
Five weeks ago last Saturday 
Off they went, with horse and sleigh ; 
They cleared the bridge at a single bound, 
And off they rode towards Brattletown. 

When Mary heard that they had gone, 

She thought that Web had used her wrong 

In taking Emma out to ride. 

For she had thought to be his bride ; 

With such sad thoughts, her eyes cast down. 

She sighed, and thought of Brattletown. 

Young Peter had but just gone down; 
As they passed through old Hinsdale town. 
He said the way Web's whip did crack — 
You'd thought Sir Luce was at his back ; 
But looking round, he no one found — 
Still on they rode to Brattletown. 



238 LIFE OF AN 

When Sally did this story hear, 
Her heart was also filled with fear 
That Web might some way lose his life, 
Then she could never be his wife ; 
While feeling thus, the tears ran down, 
Till Web arrived from Brattletown. 

I'll say to all these maidens fair, 
Web's heart is free as mountain air ; 
If this does not your heart aches cure. 
Of one thing I am now quite sure : 
When next he rides, I'll bet a crown 
He'll take you all to Brattletown. 



THE LAST INTERVIEW. 

Down in the bay, our ship lay moored, 
With pennants flying in the wind, 

Wlien dark-eyed Lizzie came on board. 

Saying, — "Where shall I my true love find,- 

Tell me, ye seamen, tell me true 
If my dear Roland sails with you ?" 

Roland was high upon the yard. 
Tossed by the billows to and fro ; 

Soon as her well known voice he heard, 
He sighed, and cast his eyes below ; 

The ropes slipped quickly through his hands, 
And quick as thought by her he stands. 



^ 






ex-man-of-war's-man. 239 

He said, " dear Lizzie, lovely dear. 

My vows shall ever true remain ; 
Let me kiss off that falling tear, — 

We only part to meet again ;" 
The noblest seaman in the fleet 

Might envy him those kisses sweet, 

" Though duty calls me from thy arms, 

Let not my pretty Lizzie mourn ; 
Yet if I live, and free from harm, 

I will unto my love return ; 
In every clime, on every sea, 

My heart it shall prove true to thee." 

But scarce one year had passed and gone, 

When far from his dear native land, 
He heard that he was left alone, — 

For she had gone at God's command, 
To dwell in that bright world above^ 

Where all is pure celestial love. 



ERRATUM.— Page 46, third line— for " two Limdrcd and eighty," read 
two hundred and eigM. 



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